


Blood Feud

by Arionrhod, McKay



Series: The Awakening [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-03 02:22:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 80,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10957671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arionrhod/pseuds/Arionrhod, https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKay/pseuds/McKay
Summary: Although Severus and Remus are ready to settle down in a more peaceful lifestyle, their problems aren't over yet; the leader of the werewolves, Sirius, refuses to stop fighting, and his threats not only put Regulus and Gaius in danger, but the future of the vampire race is in jeopardy as well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2009. Content: supernatural but non-HP-magical AU, violence, vampirism with the associated blood-drinking and biting that comes with it.

Regulus was no stranger to opulence; his mortal life had been one of wealth and luxury, and the mansion where he had made his home for so long had always been kept up to date with the most modern amenities of the time in addition to having the aesthetic benefits of centuries worth of art. It took a lot to catch his attention, much less impress him, but he couldn't help but be impressed by Godric's home. He looked around with a shrewd gaze as one of the guards led him and Gaius to an underground level, where art and luxury shifted to the stark utilitarian atmosphere of a typical holding area.

There were surveillance cameras in addition to human guards, but Regulus noticed the row of cells were empty, save the one where Sirius was being held. The doors, he noted, were reinforced to withstand vampire or werewolf strength, and he surmised the cells had been put to use before. If not, they had at least been created with non-human inmates in mind.

As they drew nearer to Sirius' cell, Regulus braced himself against the nervous roiling of his stomach. He hadn't seen his brother in centuries, not even a portrait, and his memories of their mortal life together had faded to distant images tangled up with anger and resentment. Their relationship had never been easy or harmonious, and he wondered if there was any hope of it becoming so now.

"I'm here," Gaius said quietly. He'd not left Regulus' side, and he reached out to hesitantly touch Regulus' arm, a gesture of reassurance. "I'm sure this is odd for you, but it will be... well, I can't exactly say 'all right', but after what we've been through, it certainly can't be the most awful thing that's happened, right?"

Regulus slanted a sidelong look at him and snorted. "You would think nothing could be worse than facing ancient monsters gone mad, but this is _family_. It's always worse."

"At least he's on the other side of the bars," Gaius replied, obviously trying to be encouraging. His smile became wry. "Besides, it might be a toss up as to whom he's more furious with: you for being you or me for being with you."

"True enough," Regulus conceded. He squared his shoulders, preparing himself for the confrontation, and stepped toward the door. "Let's get on with it. Dawn is coming quickly. I can feel it."

"Right." Gaius nodded to the guard, who pressed a button to release the inner door into the cell block. Then he stepped through and paused on the other side to wait for Regulus to join him.

Regulus walked through the door and moved slowly down the center of the aisle until he reached Sirius' cell, and then he turned to face his estranged brother, gazing at him through the bars of the cell door. For a moment, it was almost like looking at a stranger, but then memories flooded back, and he realized Sirius hadn't changed much since the last time they had met. No more than he had, he supposed. Sirius' hair was longer than he remembered and tangled, and he sported heavy stubble on his cheeks and jaw; his tall frame was leaner, not gaunt but muscular, and he stood in an attitude of alert tension as he watched their approach.

"Hello, Sirius," Regulus greeted him neutrally. "Long time, no see."

"Hello, Regulus," Sirius replied, his pale eyes glittering behind several long strands of hair that partially obscured his face. "Not long enough." His gaze flicked to Gaius, and his eyes hardened even more. "Strange company you're keeping these days. Or perhaps not. I seem to remember Gaius mooning over your portrait a century or so ago."

Regulus glanced at Gaius, raising an eyebrow at that confirmation of the tale Gaius had spun when they first met; he hadn't believed it entirely, but it seemed Gaius had been telling the truth after all.

"Consider it a sign of a new era," he replied, turning his full attention back to Sirius, and he folded his arms across his chest, gazing steadily at Sirius. "The war is over, Sirius. All the major pieces on the board have fallen, and the pawns are taking over. We want things to be different, and that means establishing a lasting peace between our kind and yours."

Gaius flushed under Regulus' regard, but Sirius' lips twisted. "The war will _never_ be over," he said, a growling undertone to his voice. "I was no pawn to James, but if the King has fallen, then I will take his place! Your kind are nothing but parasites, vermin to be eliminated. Jaded and decadent, that's all you know how to be, and you used my kind, then tried to hunt us to extinction. And for what? Voldemort's fear! He was frightened of us, and he was right to be." Sirius grabbed the bars of the cell and bared his teeth. "Voldemort started the war, and I will finish it. It isn't over until every one of your kind has been staked out to meet the dawn!"

"Why?" Regulus cocked his head and regarded Sirius quizzically. "Hasn't there been enough killing? Yes, I realize the irony of that coming from me," he said, waving one hand dismissively. "But the truth is, the war was nothing more than a private vendetta that got out of control, and it's over. I have no interest in killing werewolves any longer, and neither does Severus. Since we're all that's left, you're going to be fighting a one sided war."

"You really expect me to believe the Death Eaters are going to drop their weapons and stop slaughtering us?" Sirius laughed in disbelief. "Right, I'm supposed to think that after six hundred years of hating us and killing us, you've all seen the light and want to make nice? No, I'm on to you, Regulus. I'm not as stupid as you believe me to be. You want us _all_ dead, and this is just your way to play us for fools and draw us in for the kill! It may have started as a private vendetta, but it's _our_ war now, my brother. If the war is one sided, that's fine. Roll over if you like, and we'll be happy to finish you all off - but the lion will _never_ lie down with the lamb."

"It doesn't have to be that way!" Gaius insisted, shaking his head. "James loved Lily, you know that! We can live together in peace. We _need_ to do it and to help each other, or else the mortals could wipe out all of us !" Regulus felt Gaius' fingers encircle his, apparently seeking reassurance. "Please, Sirius! You know it's the truth!"

Rather than yank his hand free, Regulus allowed Gaius to hold his hand, if for no other reason than to give Sirius visible proof that things had changed, and if it helped convince Sirius of the truth, he was willing to push himself a little. "There are only two Death Eaters left, and neither of us plan to continue killing werewolves," he said, grimacing as he felt the pull of sleep. The sun was rising, and if he didn't find someplace to rest soon, he'd collapse right there on the floor. "Think of the implications - of a life without constant danger and fighting. We'll talk again soon." 

Sirius must have divined the reason for his grimace, for he gave a nasty smile. "Time for the cockroach to flee the sun?" he asked, his voice dripping with contempt. "Don't worry, brother. I'll give your words all the consideration they deserve." He turned and walked toward the back of the cell, and he lowered himself onto the cot. "By all means, come again. Just don't expect me to be here."

Regulus shook his head, wryly amused; as little as he liked to admit it, the conversation had illustrated all too clearly why Gaius had accused him of being a great deal like Sirius, although he hoped he hadn't been _this_ bad. "You aren't going anywhere," he said. "I'll be back, and you'll still be here."

With that, he turned and walked away, tugging Gaius' hand to lead him along. Gaius went willingly, clinging to Regulus' hand as though he never wanted to let go.

"Keep telling yourself that," Sirius replied. 

He never had been one to ever let Regulus have the last word if he could help it, and Regulus rolled his eyes and kept walking, refusing to rise to the bait; the cockroach remark was bad enough without giving Sirius the pleasure of seeing him keel over as soon as the sun was up. As soon as they passed through the door again and were out of Sirius' sight, he released Gaius' hand and quickened his pace, pausing only when he reached one of the guards.

"I need a room," he said. "Preferably one without windows or with very thick shades or drapes. I don't care about decor at this point, only proximity."

The guard nodded. "There are safe rooms on the second floor. You should find one up there easily enough."

Regulus murmured his thanks and headed back upstairs, not quite sprinting, but close. He wanted to have enough time to check the room, especially the windows, himself before lethargy overtook him.

Gaius, however, was right on his heels. "I'll help," he said. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

"I'll be fine," Regulus replied absently as he hurried along. "I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for centuries."

"The difference is you don't have to do it alone anymore," Gaius said, a trace of humor in his voice. "I suspect that sometimes even strong, sexy vampires need a little coddling."

Regulus rolled his eyes again as he took the steps two at a time. "I've gotten along just fine without coddling. I think I'll survive a while longer."

"You don't know what you're missing." Gaius seemed unable to let it go. "And we _are_ bonded, one-sided though it might be. You could give in just a little bit, and even I wouldn't be the wiser about whether you were doing it of your own free will or because you couldn't help yourself."

They reached the second floor, and Regulus prowled down the corridor before choosing a random door; he opened it and peered in, pleased to find a decent-looking bedroom on his first try. "Yes, we are bonded," he said patiently as he stepped inside the room. "Yes, I have accepted the fact that we are bonded. It doesn't mean, however, that I intend to 'give in', as you put it. I don't need coddling. Not from you. Not from anyone. Now I'm going to bed. Good night." He moved to close the door.

"You might want to take off some of that body armor for comfort," Gaius said calmly. He closed the door, and then then went to turn down the covers neatly. "I'll check the drapes, too - it wouldn't do for a stray sunbeam to creep in."

Regulus stared at the door and then stared at Gaius, wondering how he'd ended up with Gaius in his room after issuing what he'd thought was a firm dismissal, and he frowned with disapproval. "What part of 'I can take care of myself' didn't you understand?" he demanded.

Gaius moved to the window, making a show of checking the overlap of the thick velvet panels. Then he turned to look at Regulus, smiling slightly. "I understood you perfectly. But I have to be close to you, remember? You wouldn't put me out, would you? Not after everything we went through?"

 _Damn_. Regulus raked his fingers through his hair restlessly and sighed. "No, I won't throw you out of the room," he said, wearily resigned. "But no care-taking or coddling. I can manage on my own."

He began unfastening his chest armor and paused, belatedly remembering that he didn't have pajamas handy, leaving him with limited options. He wasn't prudish by any means, but he wasn't comfortable with the idea of stripping down to his skivvies in front of Gaius, given the unbalanced nature of their relationship. Still, he didn't want to sleep in his armor either, and while sleeping in his clothes was difficult for his fastidious nature to deal with, it was better than sleeping in his underwear, and so he continued, undressing with swift efficiency.

Gaius took off his own coat and toed off his shoes. Then he began unbuttoning his shirt, seeming unselfconscious about baring his chest, which was tanned and surprisingly well muscled for an academic type. When he turned to place his folded shirt neatly on a chair, Regulus could see a set of scars on his back, three pale, parallel lines which marred the bronze of his skin. Other than that, he was far less marred than most of the werewolves Regulus had seen, whose dead bodies often bore the evidence of injuries sustained more from their own kind than from vampires. Dominance battles, he supposed, given the bestial nature of the lycanthropes, but apparently Gaius hadn't lied about not taking part in that sort of thing.

Then Gaius turned back, still wearing his trousers. "I'll sleep on the chair," he said quietly. "Unless you don't mind sharing the bed."

Regulus hesitated before replying; he wasn't sure he wanted Gaius in bed with him again, given the position he'd found himself in upon waking the last time, but he didn't want to seem unreasonable or stubborn - _or afraid_ , a little voice piped up in the back of his mind - either. Neither was he so self-absorbed that he hadn't realized their situation was far more unfair for Gaius than it was for him. He hated that he had been bound to someone without his consent, but he was affected by the bond less acutely, and he wasn't dealing with the ego-battering ordeal of knowing the person he wanted to be with the most didn't want anything to do with him. Things were unbalanced enough between them without him forcing Gaius to sleep in a chair as well; no doubt, Gaius had slept in far worse places since he'd been turned, but still...

"You can sleep on the bed as long as you stay on your side," he said at last, perching on the side of the bed to strip off his heavy boots and socks.

"I'll do my best," Gaius replied, although there was no mistaking the pleasure in his smile. He moved to the other side of the bed and lifted the duvet and sheet to slide between them, giving a little wriggle of what seemed like pure delight. "I'm so tired. The last few days have been exhausting."

"To say the least," Regulus murmured as he crawled under the covers and rolled onto his side. 'Exhausted' didn't begin to cover how he felt after losing everything; he was in a strange place with none of his own belongings except a few clothes, and everyone he knew was dead except Severus. The others kept nattering about starting over, but Regulus had a feeling it was going to be easier said than done, and he wasn't finished mourning his old life, anyway.

He released a long sigh and closed his eyes. Normally, he disliked having to stop whatever project he was engrossed in because his body demanded rest as soon as the sun came up, but there were no projects anymore, and for once, he was ready for oblivion to claim him.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	2. Chapter 2

As Severus made his way to the holding cells in the basement of Godric's castle, he gave a sidelong glance at Remus, who was walking along at his side. They'd paid their respects to Godric, who had been laid out by his men in what appeared to be a formal reception room. Someone had changed Godric into a fresh uniform, and there were no traces of the horrible way he'd died on his face or body. He looked peaceful, which Severus supposed was appropriate. For all that Godric had been partially to blame for the horrors which had been visited upon all of them because he'd refused to act against his sons or even Voldemort, he had tried to do what he could to help them in the end. But Severus couldn't help finding it ironic that the oldest immortal should have died by the hand of one of the sons he'd refused to harm.

Remus seemed preoccupied, even pensive, a state which had begun when Severus had suggested that Remus was the rightful heir to Godric's legacy. He was already regretting his words, since it seemed that Remus was taking this far more seriously than Severus had thought he would. It would be yet another bitter irony if Remus had survived their various ordeals with his relative innocence and simple delight intact, only to have it taken away by Severus laying too heavy a burden on his shoulders. Severus didn't regret many things in his long centuries of existence, but he regretted that decision, and he wished he knew what in the hell to do to make it better.

He didn't have a lot of experience with relationships, and everything between the two of them had been so easy, so _right_ , that he'd taken for granted that things would continue the same way no matter what. He wanted to do something, anything, to return the smile to Remus' face; he missed it, and not even the knowledge that he could once again go out in the daylight could make up for its loss. But it seemed there was no help for it at the moment, and Severus only hoped he could find a way to fix things. In the meantime, he'd simply have to do the best he could. They still had a few tasks Remus seemed determined to get through before they could be alone, and so now they were headed down to the cells to deal with Sirius Black.

"I don't think this will take long," Severus said, wanting to break the heavy silence. "If he's anything like Regulus, he's going to be entrenched in his beliefs. I doubt a few words will change his mind."

"It's worth a try," Remus replied pragmatically. "Regulus seems to have accepted the truth. He may not be happy about it, but he's accepted it. If _he_ can change, then maybe Sirius can too." He paused, appearing lost in thought for a moment. "Of course, Regulus has a bond working on him, and that's probably helping a lot more than we realize. It might be more of an uphill battle with Sirius, unfortunately."

"No doubt," Severus replied morosely. "Especially given that he became a werewolf specifically as a slap in the face to his family and to Regulus in particular. From what Regulus has said, there was never any love lost between the two of them, and the simple fact that Regulus now seems to want peace might be enough to make his brother dig in his heels and fight it." He rubbed at his forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on, something he'd not experienced since becoming a vampire. It seemed that his new state carried a bit of a price with it. Joy.

"Look at it this way: he's locked up tight, and we've got all the time in the world to convince him to come around to the idea of peace," Remus pointed out. "We can wait him out." He glanced at Severus with obvious concern, frowning slightly. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," he replied, offering a slight smile. He didn't want Remus to worry about him on top of everything else that seemed to be weighing on Remus' mind. "I think my new state has brought a few negatives along with it, such as the ability to once again experience certain pains I left behind with my mortality. But yes, we'll wear him down. And if we can't..." Severus let the thought trail off. Deep down, he knew he still was a killer, and he didn't believe that allowing a permanent impediment to their goals to exist qualified as murder. Sirius would either change his mind, or he'd be dealt with. Severus could even make it look like suicide.

They reached the door to the cell block, and the guard behind the window nodded when Severus pointed to the door. It opened, and Severus waited for Remus to enter. "Don't be fooled into thinking Gaius is typical of the werewolves. He's definitely not. I believe Sirius is more like the werewolves who kidnapped you."

"I haven't forgotten what they were like," Remus said softly. "I like Gaius, but I experienced enough at the hands of the werewolves to know he's the exception, not the rule."

Severus slid his arm around Remus' waist, a gesture of support and solidarity, and he kept it there as they approached Sirius Black's cell, not giving a damn about what the werewolf thought of their relationship.

Black was lying on a cot at the back of the cell, but he was obviously alert. When they stopped in front of the barred door, he turned his head, but he didn't even bother to sit up.

"You must be the notorious Severus," he drawled. "Pardon me if I don't get up or say I'm honored to meet the infamous assassin. Funny, you aren't nearly so impressive in person as your reputation, but then things do seem to get exaggerated, don't they?"

"That's okay," Remus said mildly, offering Sirius a polite smile. "You aren't as impressive in person as Regulus and Gaius made you out to be either."

Severus frowned, annoyed by Black's tone. The man was unkempt, his entire demeanor obviously meant to be an insult, and Severus found himself wanting to bristle. "I'm hardly honored to meet you, either," he replied. "Since Regulus has been a friend for centuries."

Black snorted. "And this must be the little pet. James was certain that you'd be the key to finally defeating Voldemort. It seems he was right about that, but not about anything else." He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the cot, rising to his feet and walking toward them, his very gait speaking of leashed anger and contempt. "Well, you're a pretty one, aren't you? Why don't you give up that bloodsucker and come back to the pack with me? You belong with us. I don't blame you for what happened; you've simply not had the chance to learn your true place."

Arching one eyebrow, Remus regarded Sirius with amusement. "My true place is wherever I want it to be," he replied. "Technically, I don't belong with either side. Didn't James tell you? The reason he thought I was the key is because I'm a descendant of Godric Gryffindor, and my blood is different. I've been bitten by both a werewolf and a vampire, and now I'm a hybrid. Not fully one or the other, but a blend of both. In any case, you'll have to forgive me if I refuse your offer. I wasn't impressed with your hospitality the last time I was the guest of the werewolves."

Severus had the satisfaction of seeing Black flush at Remus' comment. The werewolf suddenly sprang at the bars, slamming his hands into them and making the metal ring. "So you're special?" he spat, his pale eyes seeming to burn with fervor. "You can die alongside the vampires then. When I'm finished, werewolves will be the only immortals left. It will be a new world - one that belongs to us!"

"Give it up, Black," Severus replied. He stepped closer to the bars as well, his voice dropping to a menacing level. He was willing to work for peace, but he wasn't going to roll over and bare his throat to the mutt for it. "I suggest you take the offer of peace and learn to work with us, or else you will be the cause of your own extinction. Adapt or die. That's the way it works."

"There isn't any point in continuing to fight," Remus added, resting his hand on Severus' arm, although Severus couldn't tell whether it was to offer support or to calm him down before things got too heated between him and Sirius. "James only wanted to retaliate against Voldemort. He wouldn't have wanted the fight to continue after that old score was settled, and none of us are going to engage you. We have the resources to keep your pack at bay indefinitely, so it'll be a waste of your time and energy that could be better spent doing something useful."

Black stepped back from the bars, his jaw tightening and his mouth set in a hard line. "Is that so?" he asked. "I might have a few resources of my own, and I happen to think that wiping out the vampires is a very good use of my time. But if you're so sure you can keep me at bay, why not let me go? Then we'll see who is right in the end."

Remus smiled blandly. "I don't think so. As long as you're here, the rest of the pack doesn't know where you are, right? So we won't waste our time fighting them off, and you'll have plenty of time to consider our offer."

"They'll find you," Black replied, the menacing growl coming back to his tone. "And if they don't, I'll get out of here myself. As you said, I have plenty of time." He smiled coldly. "And in the meantime, my werewolves will be rounding up the remaining vampires and killing them. So I win either way, don't I? You can hole up here and stay safe, or you can try to fight the lycanthropes. But when you go out, they'll track you just like I did."

For a moment, Remus said nothing, only looked at Sirius, and Severus could see a blend of pity and sadness in his eyes. "Yes, you'll win. You'll have the most blood on your hands. Good for you. It takes a lot of _something_ to keep fighting for the sake of fighting when everyone else has left the field. I hope you either exorcise some demons or your dick grows another inch or two, whichever you're hoping to accomplish by all this." He turned to Severus and said flatly, "I'm done here if you are."

"Finished." Severus hadn't spoken once Remus had put his hand on his arm. There was no point in talking to Black; he was as unreasonable as werewolves all were. Well, almost all, he grudgingly admitted. Maybe he wasn't as free of his own past as he thought, and he smiled a bit grimly. Butting heads with Black had been more enlightening about his own mental state than anything else. "Let's go."

Wrapping an arm around Remus' shoulders, he steered Remus back down the corridor. He didn't care what happened to Black; the werewolf could rot in that damned cell for all Severus cared. They'd still have to deal with the others, but at least with Black out of commission, the pack would be less organized. "Are you ready to sleep for a bit now?" he asked Remus softly.

"Yes, I think so," Remus replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Talking to him is enough to make anyone tired."

"Indeed," Severus agreed. "We'll bathe and then collapse for a while. I wonder what it will be like to sleep again. Really sleep, I mean, not simply go dormant." He looked at Remus, giving him a wry smile. "I hope I don't snore. I honestly can't remember if I ever did... before."

"If you do, I'll use my new hybrid superpowers to kick you out of bed," Remus replied with a trace of his old humor.

"Oh?" Severus was encouraged by Remus' tone. As they moved out of the basement and back toward the foyer, he leaned closer to Remus to purr in his ear. "I'm game for the floor, so long as you join me there," he said. 

Remus glanced up at him, visibly amused. "I get the feeling you have more than snoring on your mind."

"What can I say? You bring out the beast in me," Severus replied. He'd been told a suite would be prepared for them on the third floor, and he found he was anxious to reach it. He wanted to hold Remus, to try to recapture some of their earlier closeness, to reassure himself that he'd not ruined what was between them by putting too much stress on Remus. "But more importantly, I just want to be alone with you, no matter what else we do. I think we've earned a respite."

"I hope so," Remus said with a soft sigh as he followed Severus up the stairs to the third floor.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Severus saw a uniformed servant waiting. "We've prepared your suite," the man said, pointing to a set of double doors. 

"Thank you," Severus said, then led Remus to the room. Once they were inside, he closed the door behind them and turned to face Remus, for once feeling rather pensive and uncertain of his welcome. "If you would like to shower, go ahead. If you want me to scrub your back, I'm willing, but if you need time alone, I understand."

Remus paused, appearing to consider the matter before answering, and then he held out his hand. "I'd like you to scrub my back," he said, his features softening into an expression that was closer to his old self as he looked at Severus. " _Just_ scrub my back, if that's all right," he added with a wry smile. "I don't want to be left alone. I think having you near and feeling the comfort of your touch is what I need far more than time alone, but I want to just _be_ with you, if that makes sense."

"Yes, I understand," Severus replied. It had been a stressful day, and Remus was still adapting to his circumstances. He reached out and took Remus' hand, giving it a squeeze. "You amaze me. I think that your ability to roll with the circumstances sometimes make me forget that you're still adjusting to all this."

Lacing his fingers with Severus' and giving a little tug, Remus headed to the bathroom. "I'm not amazing; I'm just me," he said, smiling slightly and giving a little shrug. "As much as I've wanted to collapse in a gibbering heap at times over the past few days, I didn't think it would be terribly productive, so I've just soldiered on. I cope better if I have something specific to focus on. It gives me less time to dwell on things in my own head." His expression turned rueful. "But I think I've reached the point of really needing some down time."

"You shall have it," Severus promised, following Remus into the bathroom, feeling relieved that some of their old closeness seemed to be returning. Now that he knew what Remus wanted and needed, he would do everything in his power to make certain Remus got it. "I swear it. Nothing in the world is so important that you can't have the rest you've earned."

The smile Severus received in response to that was warm and sweet, and Remus seemed to relax a little, as if knowing the long-desired respite was finally at hand had taken some of the weight off his shoulders. Releasing Severus' hand, he began to undress, stripping off his clothes unself-consciously.

"What about a bath instead of a shower?" he suggested, glancing at Severus over his shoulder as he unbuttoned his shirt, and then he pointed to a row of jewel-colored bottles and jars lining the side of the sunken bathtub. "I'll bet there are some bath oils and bath salts in those."

"An excellent idea." Severus moved to the tub, although he couldn't help glancing back to watch Remus remove his shirt. He dropped the stopper for the tub into place, then turned on the water, adjusting it to be very warm. Then he looked at the bottles, surprised at the wide range of scents. "Name your favorite flower or spice, and I think we have it. Do you have a preference?"

"Nothing too floral," Remus replied, letting his shirt drop to the floor. He toed off his shoes and stripped off his socks, and then he padded barefoot over to stand beside Severus and picked up a bottle, opening it and sniffing its contents. "Ew! Roses. I may be gay, but I'm not _that_ gay. I don't want to smell like my grandmother. You try one," he added as he put the bottle back in place.

Severus couldn't help reaching out and caressing a hand down Remus' bare back, enjoying the sensation of his smooth, warm skin. Then he selected a bottle, opening it and sniffing experimentally. "Cinnamon and cloves," he said, offering the bottle to Remus. "Does that qualify as manly enough?"

Remus leaned over and breathed in deeply, and he nodded as he straightened. "Yes, I like that one." He paused and gave Severus a sidelong look with a hint of playfulness about it. "Besides, I think you'd smell good with cinnamon-scented skin."

"Odd, I was just thinking the same thing about you," Severus replied. He poured a generous amount of the reddish-brown liquid into the water, watching as it foamed up into a rich amount of suds which released their spicy scent into the air. "That will do, I think." He placed the bottle back into place, and then he began to unfasten his body armor. "It will be nice to soak away the events of the last few days."

As he had on their first night together, Remus batted away Severus' hands and unfastened Severus' armor himself, lifting it away carefully and putting it aside on the spacious counter. "Yes, it will," he agreed. "You could stand a good soak and some uninterrupted sleep after the changes you've undergone, I imagine. Part vampire and part... what, I wonder? Gryffindor wasn't human, that's clear enough, but he wasn't like his sons either."

"I have no idea," Severus replied honestly. He'd not had much time to consider his own changes, but so far they seemed to be fairly benign. "I suppose we'll both discover what we've become over the next few weeks." He froze, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "Unless... you don't think I could have become mortal again, do you?"

"I don't think that's possible," Remus replied, pausing in his continued efforts to undress Severus, and he stroked Severus' chest soothingly. "Godric wasn't mortal. More human than Gellert and Albus, perhaps, but not mortal. Perhaps he gave you back some characteristics of humanity, but he also made you more powerful. I noticed that when you were fighting Gellert. Whatever he gave you, it provided an edge that you didn't have before."

Remus' words were a relief, and Severus nodded. "I hope so," he said, cupping Remus' jaw with a hand. "I am looking forward to centuries in your company. The span of a mortal life wouldn't be enough - not nearly enough."

"No, not nearly enough," Remus echoed, leaning into the touch and rubbing his cheek against Severus' palm. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, but we can run some tests, if you like. If there isn't a medical facility in this castle, I'm sure Godric had one somewhere. I can compare your results to Regulus' and to a human's, and we'll see what we find."

"All right. Thank you," Severus agreed. He continued to stroke Remus' cheek, and then he leaned down to kiss Remus' lips gently, an expression of everything he felt. "Now how about that bath?"

"I'd like that." Remus smiled up at him, seeming less pensive than he had been, much to Severus' relief. "But we need to shed a few more clothes first," he added, arching one eyebrow even as he slipped his hands beneath the hem of the black shirt Severus wore beneath the armor, pushing it up.

"I'm all for bare skin." Severus lifted his arms so that Remus could strip away the shirt, enjoying the slide of Remus' hands on his skin. He'd never realized how deprived of touch he had been until Remus; he'd never thought he'd care to be stroked and caressed, but now he enjoyed it, so long as Remus was the one doing the touching. When the shirt was gone, he moved his hands to Remus' trousers. "These next?"

"Mm-hmm." Remus' smile took on a distinctly lazy tilt as he smoothed his hands along the length of Severus' arms and back up again. "Go ahead."

Severus was more than pleased to see Remus relaxing, enjoying the smile Remus wore as much as he did the touch of Remus' hands. He unfastened the button at Remus' waist and slid the zipper down slowly. That done, he grasped the waistband and pulled the trousers down off of Remus' hips, letting them fall into a puddle at Remus' feet.

He couldn't help drawing in a breath as he looked at Remus' body. Remus was beautiful to his eyes, and he never got enough of gazing at him, feeling a possessive sense of pride in knowing that Remus was his, and that he belonged to Remus in return. It might be a side-effect of the bond they had, but Severus didn't care. He'd seen his share of attractive bodies, and he'd had other vampires try to seduce him, but he could honestly say that no one, not even Regulus in all his physical beauty, could rival Remus in his eyes. "So perfect," he murmured.

A slight flush tinged Remus' cheeks at that, and Remus ducked his head in a gesture that was half-bashful, half-pleased as he stepped out of his trousers and kicked them aside with his underpants following quickly. He sauntered to the tub, turned off the water, and stepped in, sinking down until he was submerged beneath the scented water, and he gazed at Severus with a wide-eyed look that was too innocent to be innocent.

"Coming?" he asked.

"You are a horrible tease, and I think you need a spanking," Severus replied, but he smiled to show he was only teasing in return. He quickly stripped off his boots, trousers, and socks, and then he strode to the tub. Settling into the warm, scented water beside Remus, he sighed in pleasure. "This was an excellent idea. We should make it a ritual."

"That sounds fine to me," Remus said. He didn't waste any time in shifting around so that he was sitting between Severus' knees, and he leaned back against Severus' chest, settling in with an audible sigh. "There. That's better."

"Yes, it is," Severus agreed, wrapping his arms around Remus. He caressed Remus' chest in slow circles, the water and the bubblebath making it a slick slide. "Just relax. You can trust me. I'll take care of you."

"I know." Remus tilted his head back and smiled at Severus. "You've taken care of me ever since we met on the subway. I trust you completely." He relaxed and leaned his head back on Severus' shoulder, stroking Severus' forearm absently. "You may be a vampire, but you aren't a monster, and neither am I. That's one thing I learned from Voldemort and Gellert. I may be a big blue freak, but I'm _not_ a monster. Not like them."

"You aren't. You're not a freak, either; you are simply unique," Severus said, shivering in pleasure at Remus' light touch. "I am pleased to know you have faith in me. I spent centuries misguidedly looking for approval from one man, a man who didn't deserve my loyalty. You do deserve it, and you have it, more completely than Voldemort ever did. And although I want your approval as much as I did his, perhaps even more, what I really want is to make you happy. I never want you to regret being with me or to look back and think I've failed you in any way."

Remus twisted in Severus' arms until they were face-to-face, and he cupped Severus' cheek in his palm. "If I was going to have regrets, I'd have them already after everything that's happened over the past few days, all my losses, and all the changes I've undergone. I can't think of anything that could happen to top _any_ of this or give me a reason to regret being with you." He leaned close and brushed his lips against Severus' in a light but lingering kiss. "I don't have any regrets," he murmured against Severus' mouth, "and I don't want to be anywhere but where I am right now."

Severus wrapped his arms around Remus as he returned the kiss, and then he pulled Remus down against his chest, holding him tightly. No one had ever relied on Severus, trusted or believed in him the way Remus did, and he felt a sudden tightness in his throat. No doubt it was yet another side effect of whatever Godric's blood had done to him, because vampires didn't cry. 

"Neither do I," he said thickly. "I couldn't even say that I'd go back and undo the last six centuries and save my family, if it meant losing you. I never thought things happen for a reason or that there was anything more to our existence than what we make of it, but perhaps there is after all."

"Perhaps so." Remus settled against Severus' chest and rested his head on Severus' shoulder again, splaying his hand over Severus' heart. "At the very least, I like to think this is the universe's way of rewarding us for everything we've been through and for making the ordeals more bearable. You'll never have to bear anything alone again, and neither will I."

"You're right, we won't," Severus replied. He pressed his lips against Remus' temple, enjoying the closeness. "If this is my reward, it's been worth it. Everything."

"I agree," Remus replied, his words ending on a tremendous yawn. Lifting his head, he gave Severus a look of wide-eyed appeal. "Care to scrub my back and tuck me in before I nod off right here in the bath?"

Severus snorted in amusement; he couldn't help it. Remus seemed to have a way of lightening most situations, and Severus was glad to have him doing it again, easing his fear that he'd somehow managed to kill Remus' joy with too much responsibility. "Of course," he purred, retrieving a sponge from the side of the tub and dipping it in the water. He ran it over Remus' back, or what he could reach of it in this position. "When you look at me like that, I feel vlike a dirty old man lusting after a child. Although I doubt there are many cases where the age gap is quite as pronounced as ours. Now sit up, and I'll finish scrubbing. I see there is a nozzle on this side for rinsing off, so when I'm finished, I'll take care of that, too."

Remus sat up obediently and gazed at Severus with utter trust in his eyes. "I'm in your capable hands," he said, and then a teasing smile quirked his lips. "You'll get your chance to be a dirty old man later, when we've both had some rest." 

"I'll trust you to keep your word," Severus replied. He finished scrubbing Remus' back, and then he helped Remus to stand. A brief rinse with the hand-held showerhead removed the suds, and then Severus stepped out of the tub and pulled a towel from the warming bar. In short order, he'd toweled Remus dry and wrapped him in a fresh towel before retrieving one for himself. That done, he gave Remus a wicked smile before scooping Remus up in his arms as though he really were a tired child and carrying him into the bedroom.

The covers on the bed had already been turned back, so Severus slipped Remus into the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin, tucking him in. He felt a tiny pang as he did so, remembering when he'd tucked his younger sister in a dozen lifetimes before, but it was nothing more than a bittersweet memory now. Remus was his present and his future, and he'd meant it when he'd said he didn't have any regrets.

Straightening, he brushed Remus' damp hair back from his forehead. "Is there anything else you'd like?" he asked, his eyes glinting with a teasing light. "A glass of warm milk and a story, perhaps? Although I warn you, if you do, you're getting the one about the Big Bad Wolf."

Chuckling, Remus shook his head. "I don't want anything but you under the covers with me," he said. "Come here and let me warm you... if you still need me for that, that is."

Severus wasted no time in doing as Remus said, moving to the other side of the bed and slipping beneath the covers. He shifted so that he could pull Remus into his arms, holding him closely. "I'll always need you for that," he murmured, stroking a hand down Remus' back. "I prefer you to the sun any day."

Winding his arms around Severus, Remus nestled closer and caressed him tenderly in return. "Good," he murmured and yawned again. "'m glad."

Severus closed his eyes and relaxed back against the soft mattress, his lips curved into a smile. He felt tired in a way that had nothing to do with the sun, but it was good to have Remus in his arms, to be able to enjoy it without being suddenly pulled into unconsciousness. "Sweet dreams," he said softly. He wondered if he, too, would dream; if so, he hoped it would be about Remus and the future. Dreams that, for once, he might be able to make real.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	3. Chapter 3

Regulus awoke at sunset and flung out his arm, but he grimaced and drew it back when he woke up enough to realize the ache of the bond and the emptiness of the bed had the same cause: Gaius wasn't there. Flinging back the covers, he rolled out of bed, stood, and stretched, and he forced himself to ignore the pull of the bond long enough to take a shower and wash his hair. He felt grungy, and he didn't want to appear in the same clothes he'd had on the day before and had slept in as well. Fortunately, one of the servants must have brought up the spare clothes they'd scavenged from the safe house and stashed in the truck, and Regulus sorted through the meager selection, settling on a pair of plain black trousers and a black sweater.

He dressed and tied back his damp hair, the urgency of the bond making him irritable, and he stalked along the corridors, following the bond as it led him to Gaius and glaring at anyone who got in his way. Eventually, he found himself in a gym - the last place he expected to find Gaius. Especially Gaius stripped down to what must have been a pair of borrowed sweatpants, his skin damp with sweat as he ran on a treadmill at a swift, steady pace.

Gaius glanced over at him, apparently sensing his presence, then nodded in greeting before looking back at the display on the treadmill. He pressed a button and the machine slowed, and he dropped his pace to a walk. Reaching for a towel that was looped over one of the arms on the treadmill's sides, Gaius mopped his face. 

"Good evening, Regulus," he said, his voice a trifle breathless from the exercise. "I hope you are rested."

"I was until this damned bond forced me to look all over the damned castle for you," Regulus replied peevishly.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep," Gaius replied. He pressed something on the treadmill again and it stopped, and then he stepped off the machine and turned to face Regulus. "I figured it was better to do something than to lie there and fidget all night."

"So you decided to run to nowhere on that stupid contraption." Regulus gestured to the machine with a disdainful sneer. On some level, he was surprised at himself; he wasn't normally so fractious, but he didn't like feeling out of control, either, and it was making him snappish. "If you were going to do something, you should have chosen something useful."

"Such as?" Gaius asked, putting his hands on his hips and giving Regulus an exasperated look. "This was useful to me. It allowed me to work off a certain amount of... frustration."

Regulus scowled, well able to imagine what kind of frustration Gaius was talking about, and it only served to make him more irritable. "All these years as a werewolf, and you still can't hold your own in fight. Why don't you learn how to fight properly instead of running in place?"

"And exactly how do you recommend I do that?" Gaius asked with a frown. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Werewolves don't teach each other to fight; they only fight for dominance battles, and I decided that was far too painful a way to learn a skill I didn't want in the first place."

"Then it's a wonder any of you are still alive," Regulus retorted, folding his arms and mirroring Gaius' stance. "I trained my men, and I didn't let them go out until I was certain they could hold their own. We didn't waste time with dominance games." _Well, not physical games,_ he amended silently, thinking of all the ridiculous political machinations that some of the other vampires had indulged in.

"We survived well enough," Gaius replied. There was a faint, growling undertone to his voice, and his brows lowered in annoyance. "And the dominance battles were hardly a game; they were how rank was attained in the pack. It wasn't even something that most of them could have resisted if they'd wanted to; it's almost a compulsion."

"Then why didn't _you_ fight?" Regulus asked, tilting his chin up. "Were you happy being on the bottom?"

Gaius' eyes glinted, and his shoulders hunched forward. "I never took a lover among the werewolves," he bit out. "I fought one dominance battle - _one_! - and I lost. After I was raped, I decided I wasn't going to get involved with such fights ever again. James protected me because I had skills that were useful, so I didn't have to fight." His lips curved in a nasty smile that held no humor. "I think James suspected I'd poisoned the one who assaulted me, but he never accused me directly."

Some of Regulus' belligerence faded at that, replaced by an unexpected surge of protectiveness - and then he was annoyed anew by feeling at all protective of someone who wasn't his lover, wasn't even a friend. It was the bond making him feel that way, and he didn't like it.

"I didn't realize you had been assaulted," he muttered gruffly, the words forced out grudgingly. "Sorry."

The apology seemed to appease Gaius a bit, for he straightened and turned away. "You couldn't have known," he replied, and then he shrugged. "Perhaps that's why it annoys me so when you call us mutts and beasts. It's true in some cases, but not all. I've spent over century fighting that part of myself. I've probably run enough miles to take me to the moon and back."

"Whereas if you'd used the time more wisely, you wouldn't have had to resort to poison," Regulus said, refusing to budge on that point. "Why didn't you ask James to teach you instead of relying on his protection? Look where it got you!"

"James was the Alpha!" Gaius said, whirling back to look at Regulus as though he were an idiot. "I told you, werewolves don't fight except for dominance, not even James! He would have _killed_ me, and he wouldn't have been able to help himself. It's a survival mechanism. We're just lucky that we have the drugs now that allow us to control the change, rather than being at the mercy of the moon."

"You'd better hope Gryffindor stocked up on that drug, too, or you're back to your natural state," Regulus pointed out, drawing himself up proudly. He didn't like being spoken to like he was dense, especially not by a werewolf! He couldn't be expected to know anything about werewolf culture.

"He did. I asked about that as soon as I left the room," Gaius replied. "Don't worry, you won't be unnecessarily subjected to my bestial state. I know how much it offends your delicate sensibilities."

"If my delicate sensibilities bother you so much, I have to wonder why you subject yourself to them," Regulus snapped, his temper flaring once more.

For a moment Gaius did nothing; he went so still he might have been a statue, staring at Regulus with a stunned expression. Then he moved suddenly, so fast he was a blur even to Regulus' vampiric senses; he'd never seen a werewolf move _that_ fast. Before he could react, Gaius had him by the shoulders, pressing him up against the wall. Even though Gaius was shorter than he was, he suddenly seemed larger, more menacing than Regulus would have thought possible, given the mildness of his temperament. His dark eyes had changed, glinting with a feral light, and he looked one step away from changing form.

But he didn't. Instead he pressed his body against Regulus'. "You know why," he bit out, his voice rough. "Do you mock everyone who desires you, or is that a special gift reserved just for me?"

Regulus felt his body grow taut, and he knew he was at a turning point; he could channel his tension into aggression... or into another outlet that he didn't even want to think about. Snarling, he lifted his hands and shoved Gaius backward. "It's all for you," he growled, instinctively falling into a defensive crouch. "You forced this on me. I didn't choose this. I didn't choose you!"

Something in Gaius snapped at that point; he went pale, and then his face flushed. "Then let's end it," he growled, before he launched himself at Regulus, hands grappling for Regulus' shoulders again as he attempted to overbear Regulus and drag him to the floor.

The attack was powerful and quick, but it was also the work of a rank amateur; Regulus found it ridiculously easy to grab Gaius, one movement flowing with practiced grace into another as he moved with Gaius instead of blocking him and used the momentum to toss Gaius against the nearest wall, not holding back with his own strength either. 

Gaius slammed into the wall, the plaster cracking. He only grunted, however, as he rolled to his feet, breathing hard. He stared at Regulus and let out a howl of anger as he launched himself at Regulus again. He must have learned something, for he came in low this time, sidestepping to the right before slamming into Regulus with his shoulder at the level of Regulus' hips. The impact sent them both tumbling to the floor, but Regulus swiftly rolled and grabbed Gaius' wrists, pinning him. 

"Give it up," he growled, tightening his fingers around Gaius' wrists hard enough to leave bruises. "You won't beat me."

"No!" Gaius bucked his hips, trying to throw Regulus off. When that didn't work, he stopped struggling for a moment, obviously thinking, and then he set his jaw, glaring at Regulus, and began to push his arms upward against Regulus' hold. To Regulus' surprise, Gaius' arms began to rise from the floor as he used all of his strength to force Regulus back. There were lines of strain on his face, and sweat beaded Gaius' brow, but Regulus felt himself being pushed back.

Regulus didn't fight for a moment, too surprised that Gaius had actually managed to move him at all, but then he rallied and growled, redoubling his efforts to force Gaius back down; he exerted all of his own strength to pin Gaius' arms again, silently demanding a surrender. 

For a moment longer, Gaius resisted, staring up at Regulus with frustration. But then the heat in his dark eyes seemed to change, becoming something just as passionate but very different in nature. He was breathing hard, his heart pounding, but his body abruptly became pliant under Regulus', and he stopped trying to push Regulus away, his posture almost submissive. "You win," he murmured, his voice deep and husky. "I surrender. Completely."

Regulus stared down at Gaius, startled into immobility at the abrupt switch in Gaius' demeanor, but despite Gaius' concession, he didn't release Gaius or move away. Adrenaline coursed through his blood, and the exertion had made his own breathing labored; his heart pounded in accord with Gaius', their rhythm matching as if his body had accepted what his mind had not. 

"You won't learn to fight by giving up," he growled, tightening his fingers around Gaius' wrists. The anger he'd felt earlier had dissipated, defused by the aggression of the fight, but he wasn't sure he was comfortable with the emotions that were taking its place. 

Gaius' face was flushed, and there was a wild, musky edge to his scent. "Part of winning a war is knowing how to pick your battles," he murmured. "I don't want to fight you. But when you feel anger, it gets to me through the bond. I've not had time to learn how to separate your feelings from mine, not when yours are so... intense."

"Huh." Regulus released Gaius and moved into a balanced squat on the balls of his feet beside Gaius as he mulled over what Gaius had said. It hadn't occurred to him that his emotions might be fueling Gaius', but it made sense now that he thought about it. "So we're feeding each other's negative emotions in a loop. I guess we _both_ need to be more careful." He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "The irony is, I'm normally more even tempered. You caught me at a bad time." 

Gaius sat up slowly, crossing his legs as he faced Regulus. "I'm not an aggressive person by nature," he said with a rueful smile. "I'm not used to feeling so... frustrated. But I don't blame you for how you're feeling. You're right, you didn't ask for any of this." His smile faded. "Again, I'm sorry about that. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I should have considered the consequences more carefully."

"You probably should have," Regulus agreed, but he had to make a concession of his own. "It did keep me from killing you, though," he pointed out. "I don't doubt things would have gone a different way if you hadn't forced the bond and kept me from being able to harm you." 

"I guess so... but that isn't why I did it," Gaius said softly. "I really thought it might be the key to helping us - all of us, not just you and me - find the way back to the way we were meant to be. To learn to understand each other before it's too late and there isn't anyone left."

"That, and you've been mooning over my portrait for a century," Regulus replied, raising one eyebrow, but for once, he didn't mean the words to be scathing or insulting. "Anyway, you've managed to convert me to the cause. You, Severus, and Remus all seem to want peace, and I don't want to fight anymore. Although what that means for me remains to be seen." He blew out a frustrated sigh and rocked back on his heels. "All I've done for centuries is design and build bigger, better weapons and used them to kill werewolves. If we manage to make peace with the werewolves, I'm out of a job." 

Gaius didn't seem to take offense to the reference to the portrait, although he did flush and drop his gaze as though embarrassed. "You can always learn something else or direct that creative energy toward something besides weapons." He looked at Regulus again. "We still have to survive, and the world is a dangerous place, even for immortals banded together. I'm not sure what it's going to mean for us now that Godric is dead, but I do think that history has proven that if we don't hang together, we shall most assuredly hang separately."

"I don't disagree." Regulus rubbed his chin as he considered the possibilities. "From what I can tell, Gryffindor did a lot to cover our tracks. We'll be responsible for that ourselves now. If the war continues, that won't be easy. All the more incentive to end it, I suppose." 

"Yes... and we'll have to learn how to cover our own tracks even if we aren't fighting," Gaius replied, giving Regulus a slow smile. "Perhaps a certain genius who is brilliant at devising things could come up with ways for us to do that."

Regulus snorted and rolled his eyes. "I suppose," he said grudgingly. "I wouldn't know where to begin." Although he supposed he could research the methods Gryffindor had used and build from there. It would be a challenge, but he had never turned away from a challenge. "I'll have to see what Severus wants me to do. He's older than I am, which makes him an Elder. A dubious honor, I suppose, since there are only two of us left."

"Two that we know of. Perhaps there are some who fled Voldemort centuries ago," Gaius mused thoughtfully. "I'll have to see if Godric knew of any or even had suspicions. But you do have purpose, Regulus, no matter what happens. You're too intelligent and motivated to give up just because things change."

Regulus snorted again. "I assume it's the bond that makes you think you know me so well, because it isn't the longevity of our acquaintance." 

Gaius rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched slightly. "I was a professor, remember? I can spot intelligence and motivation within a few minutes of meeting someone. But the bond does help, yes. And I want to know you better, if you'll allow it." He drew in a deep breath, looking pensive. "I know the bond wasn't your choice, but... would you give it a chance? Give _me_ a chance?"

It was Regulus' turn to look away as he tried to sort out the confused jumble in his mind. "A chance for what?" he asked cautiously, peeking sidelong at Gaius. "Just to get to know me better? Friendship? Something else?"

"Whatever you're comfortable with." Gaius smiled hesitantly. "You're in my mind, you see. I... feel you there. You know I'm attracted to you, but I know it isn't mutual. You've made it clear you don't like being stuck with me, so I won't push you for more than you're willing to give. I won't pretend that I wouldn't like for us to be more than friends, but I'll settle for whatever you're offering."

All his life, as human and vampire, Regulus had been called clever, but being able to put things together and figure out the way they worked were different skills from understanding other people, who were more complex than the most intricate machinery he could devise. It was why he preferred the simplicity of his weapons and his workshop, where he didn't have to worry about how other people felt; as far as he knew, they were happy as long as he did his job and tried to keep them safe. Entanglements were confusing and messy, and he had little experience with them, but he _was_ stuck with Gaius, and perhaps it didn't have to be a bad thing. 

"Let's start with getting to know each other," he said at last. "Then we'll see what happens."

Gaius' smile widened, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. "I'd like that," he said. "How do you want to get started? Maybe... maybe you could teach me to fight?"

" _Someone_ needs to," Regulus replied, relieved to steer the conversation away from the subject of emotions and back to a topic he understood. "You're utterly hopeless right now." 

Placing his hand over his heart as though he were mortally wounded, Gaius heaved a dramatic sigh. "Yes, I am, but I've no doubt you can rectify that. I promise I'm extremely motivated to please you."

"Don't worry about pleasing me," Regulus said as he rolled to his feet. "You need to know how to defend yourself, not only to save your own skin, but also to keep from putting anyone you're with in danger. As long as the war continues, you'll probably have to fight again, even against other werewolves, and if you can't, you'll end up mauled or dead." 

"I don't want that," Gaius replied, rolling to his feet as well. He faced Regulus, standing with his hands loosely at his sides. "When do you want to start? I don't happen to be busy at the moment."

"Well..." Regulus paused, but he realized _he_ wasn't busy either; he didn't have anything else to do - no weapons to build, nothing to test, no designs to perfect - and rather than wander around, restless and lost, he supposed he might as well focus on something constructive that he _could_ do. "No time like the present, I suppose." 

"Good!" Gaius grinned happily, as though Regulus had given him a gift. "Let's do it!"

Privately, Regulus thought that if Gaius had a tail, it would be wagging, which didn't do much to help him not think of werewolves as "mutts", but he didn't voice the thought aloud. Instead, he nodded and beckoned for Gaius to follow him to a large, thickly padded mat on the floor. 

"Come on, then," he said. "I'll start you off with some of the training exercises we teach newly turned vampires. That should be about your speed, and fortunately for you, I'm not nearly as sadistic a taskmaster as Severus." 

"I'll count my blessings, then." Gaius crouched slightly, wearing a mischievous smile that managed to convey the thought that he was going to enjoy this, even if Regulus kicked his arse all over the mat. "Ready, old man?"

"You're a weird little werewolf," Regulus replied, shaking his head. "And I am _not_ an old man, _puppy_."

"Be careful... I might bite!" With that, Gaius launched an attack, which was made less ferocious by the laughing undercurrent in his voice.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	4. Chapter 4

The door to the bedroom closed behind him with a soft click, and Severus headed downstairs in search of Regulus. He was thinking of returning to the mansion to search for anything the werewolves might have missed. There was a good chance there wouldn't be much left, but the effort should probably be made.

He wasn't certain what room Regulus and Gaius had used for the day, but it was easy enough to locate a servant, who directed him to a door on the second floor. Severus knocked, but there was no answer, so he went downstairs to the main level. If this place had an armory, as it no doubt did, it was entirely probable that Regulus was in it, conducting an inventory and possibly indulging in a loving caress or two of the more powerful weapons. He gave a snort of amusement; if Gaius had any competition for Regulus' affection and attention, it would probably be made of carbon steel and designed to throw death a hundred meters.

There were more attendants in the castle than Severus had first thought, most of them appearing to be domestic servants, but then he spotted the man who had accompanied them into Albus' prison and approached him with a determined stride.

"Excuse me, Locke," Severus said, reading the man's name off the patch sewn on his uniform. He probably should have known it already, considering what the man had survived along with him and the others, but Severus had been rather distracted at the time and not interested in any of the humans, so long as they got him where he was going and didn't get between him and his goal. But now it was time to be civil, and the man _had_ proven his worth as well as a certain innate toughness. Godric had apparently picked his human contingent carefully.

"Sir?" The man came to attention with a click of his heels. He was an older man, with a close-cropped fringe of white hair around his otherwise bald head, and blue eyes that had obviously seen much for the span of an ordinary human lifetime. He had scars, too, even on his face, and Severus wondered briefly if they were from battles with vampires, werewolves, or perhaps both.

"I'm looking for Regulus - the other vampire," Severus explained, suddenly feeling as though he'd been quite remiss in protocol since none of them had introduced themselves to the humans who now nominally followed Remus. It would have to be rectified. "I'm Severus, by the way, if you hadn't picked up on that already. Good work yesterday."

"Thank you, sir," the man seemed genuinely pleased by the compliment, and he pointed toward a staircase leading downward. "A couple of my men mentioned they saw him in the gym earlier. You might try there. Downstairs, second door on the left."

Severus raised a brow. A gym? What in the devil was Regulus doing _there_? Well, he'd find out soon enough, and so he thanked Locke and made his way downstairs. He found the gym, and inside it, he did indeed find Regulus working out on one of the weight machines. Severus went to stand beside it, crossing his arms over his chest and lifting a brow. "Of all the places in the castle, this has to be one of the few in which I would never have thought to find you. Taking out your frustrations on hapless lumps of metal, are you?"

Regulus didn't respond until he'd finished his repetition, probably because he knew ignoring Severus was a good way to tweak him, but finally, he looked up at Severus. "No, Gaius and I were sparring, and I decided to work out after he left," he replied, snagging a towel to wipe away the sweat. "This physique doesn't maintain itself, you know." He looked Severus up and down with a critical eye. "You might do a few reps yourself."

Severus snorted in amusement, not rising to Regulus' bait. "I get plenty of exercise, I assure you, especially these days. If I lift any weight, I think I'd prefer that it be warm, willing, and weigh about eleven stone."

Regulus answered with a snort of his own and a dubious look. "I suspect you're not so much lifting as pressing," he retorted.

"Either way," Severus replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Remus hasn't complained, at least. But I'm not here to taunt you about my sex life. I was planning to go back to the mansion and see if the werewolves left anything of use. Care to accompany me?"

"I might as well. I don't have anything else to do," Regulus replied, and there was no mistaking the sour note in his voice.

"I see somebody woke up on the wrong side of the coffin." Severus straightened, looking at Regulus closely. "What's got you in such a foul mood?"

Regulus grimaced and exhaled sharply before responding in a less testy tone. "Everything and nothing," he said. "I don't remember the last time I woke up and had _nothing_ to do. I don't like it, but my skills aren't exactly in high demand now."

Severus shook his head when he realized what Regulus must be on about. "If we manage to end the war - and that's still a pretty big if at this point, given that stubbornness must run in your family - we're still going to need weapons and defensive armor and heaven knows what else. But until we can make peace with the werewolves, we're still outnumbered two to hundreds and are basically fighting for our lives. I don't want to kill anymore werewolves, but I'm not going to hesitate to do so if any of the four of us are in danger. At this point, it's still us or them, and I pick us. So don't consider yourself retired yet, my friend. Even if we make peace with the lycanthropes, there is still a whole big world out there which would happily see us dead."

"But have you seen the size of the armory here?" Regulus asked. "It's staggering! With all the resources already in place, who needs me to design more?"

If Severus hadn't known how much his work meant to Regulus, he would have been tempted to laugh at his friend complaining that they were _too_ well equipped. But Regulus literally existed for the next one of his "toys", and Severus couldn't mock that, not when Regulus was so obviously upset and feeling at loose ends. "The armory may be large, but that doesn't mean it's either the quality of equipment we need nor the configuration," he replied smoothly. "I assume it will take you weeks or even months to go through all of it and choose what to keep, what to toss out, and what to modify. Not to mention there is the training of the guards to oversee. They're good, I give them credit for that, but they aren't as good as you can make them. Considering those men are the only things standing between us and extinction, I would prefer it if they had your seal of approval on their skills. And if that isn't enough for you to deal with, there are the defensive modifications to the castle and the things Godric left unfinished still to be gone through. If I'd known that a day off was going to rattle you this badly, I'd have sent a guard for your lazy arse at sunset and put you to work straight away!"

Regulus stared up at him for a moment, and then a slow smile curved his lips. "I stand corrected," he said dryly, arching one eyebrow. "I had no idea you'd written up a laundry list of things for me to do, or else I never would have wasted time in the gym."

"Unfortunately for you, I considered spending time with Remus - whom, you may recall, I thought had died less than twenty-four hours ago - a priority over informing you of plans to keep your arse out of trouble for the next few centuries." Severus was pleased to see the smile on Regulus' lips, although he didn't allow that to show. Regulus was too important to be allowed to waste away or become depressed from a lack of activity. "Now, if you are satisfied that I'm not going to let you have so much as another hour of free time for the next hundred years, shall we go? I don't seem to be limited by sunrise any longer, but we need to get back before you shrivel up and waste all those reps."

"By all means." Regulus nodded and rose to his feet, draping the towel over his shoulder. "I'm not optimistic that we'll find much, but maybe we can retrieve some personal items. I'd like to get my tools back, if nothing else."

"Right," Severus acknowledged, then turned toward the door. "I feel the same. Meet me on the helipad in fifteen minutes." He glanced back over his shoulder, giving Regulus a mock-stern look. "Don't be late. I'm the elder vampire, and while I'm not about to be the martinet Voldemort was, I'll still be unhappy if you're late. Obviously you work best under pressure, so consider yourself pressured."

Regulus rolled his eyes. "What are you going to do? Scowl menacingly at me? It's not easy to intimidate someone who's seen you naked, and devising any kind of punishment that would really keep me in line would take precious time out of your busy shagging schedule, so I'm not all that worried."

Severus' smile became wicked. "I'll force you to take a vacation, that's what I'll do," he replied. "Think of it: a whole week of nothing to do. And if that isn't enough to keep you in line, I'll make you take the time off _without_ being about to use the gym. Is that sufficient? Or are you going to force me to get really nasty?"

Regulus' eyes widened in abject horror as he stared at Severus. "That's hitting below the belt!" he protested even as he headed for the door. "I knew you were tough, but I didn't think you were evil."

"The pressures of command," Severus replied, giving a long-suffering sigh. "It would drive a saint to sinning. So hurry it up, would you? I want to get back to shagging Remus."

"There are laws against cruel and unusual punishment, you know," Regulus grumbled.

"They don't apply to immortals," Severus said helpfully, amused at Regulus' continued griping. But for all his grousing, Regulus was quick to join Severus on the helipad, and within twenty minutes of leaving the gym, they were in the air and heading toward the mansion, Regulus still damp from his shower.

"If what Remus and I saw is still there, it still won't be much," Severus observed as the scenery sped by beneath them in a blur. "Although we both may have lost all our possessions, we both have gained by a werewolf each." He shot Regulus a sidelong glance, curious about how the relationship between Regulus and Gaius was going. Well, there was really only one way to find out. "So, are you coming to accept your new furry friend? There are advantages to having a werewolf companion, I've found."

Regulus hunkered down in his seat and folded his arms across his chest, and even in profile, Severus could tell he was frowning. "I don't have much of a choice but to accept it and make the best of it," he replied tersely. " _You_ may think you've gained, but you chose to be with Remus. It's different for me, and I haven't found much that's advantageous about it."

It was quite obvious that Regulus hadn't come to grips with his situation, and Severus wondered if his friend even wanted to make the effort, or if he was resisting the bond out of pure contrariness because he hadn't been given a choice in the matter. "You never will find anything if you're determined not to do so," Severus replied evenly. He shrugged. "Having my family slaughtered and becoming a vampire wasn't my choice, not the way you got to choose it, but I've learned to find the positive in it. It's not like you to pout about things you can't change, so I assume that you don't find him at all attractive or interesting. I suppose you'll just have to kill him, then."

"Very funny," Regulus retorted, shooting Severus an annoyed look. "You know I can't do that. The bond prohibits it, and even if it didn't, I don't hate him enough to want him dead. And I'm not pouting," he added, with a haughty tilt of his chin. "It's just..." He broke off and let out a gusty sigh. "He's like an overeager puppy that's following me around and nipping at my heels, and I don't know what to do about him," he said, frustration lacing his voice. "I didn't ask to be saddled with anyone, much less a werewolf. You know me. Sex and relationships have never been high on my priority list. I couldn't even keep _your_ interest, for God's sake, and you're just slightly less anti-social than I am."

" _My_ interest?" Severus turned his attention from the window for a moment to give Regulus an incredulous look. "I'm the one who couldn't keep your interest, as I recall! You were far more interested in your work than in having sex with me, so I thought you preferred being friends. You're right, I knew that relationships weren't a priority for you, but I did try. I wasn't angry about it, but being called 'Vera' in a moment of passion clued me in as to where I really stood in your affections."

Regulus had the grace to look abashed at that, and he didn't try to deny it. "Well, that only reinforces my point," he said. "I don't do well in those situations." He paused, and then he gave Severus a sidelong look, his expression arch. "Besides, you ought to be flattered. Vera is my favorite, most beautiful, and most deadly gun."

Severus snorted. "I'm afraid that being called by the name of your real beloved was enough to show me where we were headed, and I've no more experience with relationships than you do," he replied. "Until Remus, that is. I think when it's the right person, even socially inept workaholics such as us can be shown the light. If you're willing to see it, that is; being willfully blind is something I'm not sure even fate can overcome. If you aren't good at relationships, Regulus Black, it's because you _choose_ not to be. You're not stupid or insensitive. I don't think you've met anyone who has mattered enough to make you _want_ to try. Too bad for Gaius."

"You're making it sound like I ought to be grateful for being eternally bound to a complete stranger, and that if I'd just get over it and take him to bed, everything would be dandy," Regulus said tartly. "I'm glad you're so blissful and having so much fabulous sex, but what is right for you isn't necessarily right for me. Besides, who knows if Gaius is even the right person?"

"No one knows, not even you - nor will you ever know, if you push him away and not give either him or yourself a chance," Severus retorted. It was obvious that Regulus wasn't ready to hear what Severus was saying, and the truth was, Severus _didn't_ know if Gaius could be to Regulus what Remus was to him. All he knew was that Regulus hadn't found a partner among the vampires, and if they were really the only two left, then Regulus might not ever find anyone. But he and Regulus had a great deal in common, and trying to force Regulus into a certain behavior was likely to backfire. "I'm not saying you should take him to bed, not unless you want to, but I think you might be surprised if you do. I'm not sure if Remus and I share the same type of bond that you and Gaius do, since Remus being a hybrid has made things a bit different, but I will say there is nothing like being with someone whom you trust absolutely and completely, whom you know has only your best interests and pleasure in mind. But I'll shut up on the subject, if you'd like. You're certainly old enough to make your own decisions about whom you do or do not shag, and Remus would make a much better Agony Aunt than I ever could."

"I know you. I don't know Remus," Regulus replied, sounding oddly subdued. "I don't want to talk to a stranger about personal matters." He fell silent, staring out the window for a time before speaking again. "It's different for you. Remus wasn't a werewolf when you met him, and you've been through enough with him that you know you can trust him. I don't know Gaius, much less trust him. He's a stranger who instigated a bond without my consent, and he's a werewolf to boot. How can I trust him when he's been so manipulative? He didn't have _my_ best interests in mind when he bound himself to me."

"Why did he do it, then?" Severus asked quietly. He knew he needed to listen now and let Regulus work himself through this to an extent. "What did he get out of it?"

"He says he did it because he hoped it would be the key to lasting peace between vampires and werewolves," Regulus replied, his gaze focused on the scenery. "He wants things to be like they were in the old days, before Voldemort made his power play and started the war. That, and..." He paused, seeming to be a little embarrassed. "Apparently, he saw a portrait of me in Sirius' room and built up some romantic, fantasy image of what I must be like. It's completely _wrong_ , of course."

"Is it?" Severus shrugged slightly. "I saw Remus in a subway station. I had no idea if he was a man, a werewolf, a vampire, or a demon straight from hell, but I was immediately drawn to him. Infatuated, if you like. He's told me it was the same with him. So love at first sight _can_ happen."

"No, I mean the ideal he's built up in his head is wrong," Regulus replied, waving one hand dismissively. "He saw that portrait and created an imaginary Regulus that's nothing like the real me. Maybe he was drawn to the portrait at first sight, but frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't wondered if he acted in haste now that he's met me in the flesh."

"Has he told you what his imaginary version of you was like?" Severus asked, intrigued by the way Regulus seemed determined to view any image Gaius could have had as unrealistic. "If not, how do you know it isn't exactly like you?"

"Because I doubt he'd imagine someone who's an anti-social workaholic and who calls out the name of his gun in the throes of passion," Regulus retorted. "But no, all he said is that he thought I must be special." He gave Severus a hard stare, as if silently daring him to utter a single mocking word.

But Severus didn't have any desire to mock his friend, not when Regulus was being so woefully blind to his own appeal, something Severus had never really understood. "And he wasn't wrong about that," Severus replied, with no hint of anything besides seriousness in his voice. "You are special. Why do you think that you're the only lover I ever took among our clan? It didn't work out between us, to be sure, but you never have seemed to see yourself as others see you. I suspect the only reason Lucius spent centuries chasing me instead of you was that he wanted to get to Voldemort. If the portrait Gaius saw did you any justice, I can certainly understand his obsession. And perhaps knowing your brother, he figured that you must be nothing like him, which is true, too, isn't it? Do you still think him so much a fool?"

"I don't want to be anything like Sirius," Regulus replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, and then he shrugged and looked away. "Even if I take his assessment seriously, I still don't know what to do about it. He's not unattractive, but I don't know if I'm capable of being with anyone, especially for eternity. I've been alone for centuries, and suddenly I've got someone who literally can't bear being separated from me for long periods of time. That's rather daunting for a loner to cope with."

"I can imagine." Severus sighed, not certain what advice to offer. Certainly the thought of _not_ being with Remus for eternity would make him upset, so he could, in a way, see Regulus' point, if only from the opposite perspective. Then he had a thought, and he looked at Regulus, wondering if he might be opening up a whole different can of worms by suggesting it. But in the end, he knew he must; the only real surprise was that Regulus hadn't thought of it himself. "Perhaps there is a way of severing the bond? If Gaius knew as little about the results of it as you told me before, perhaps there is a way to break it, and he simply doesn't know what it is. But if it exists, then someone must know. Perhaps it's somewhere in Godric's library."

Regulus' startled look confirmed that he _hadn't_ considered the possibility, and he nodded slowly. "Perhaps," he said. "If there's a way, it might be best for both of us. He said everything I feel bleeds over to him, and we've been looping negative emotions. I don't want to drag him down, and while I'm not angry about it anymore, but I'm not jumping for joy either. I've got to keep myself on an even keel, or we'll be back on that negative loop again."

"That makes sense," Severus replied. "You know what works for the negative can work for the positive, too, if you tried. But it seems pretty clear you don't want that, so we'll do whatever we can to see if there is a way to break it."

Regulus frowned at him. "You keep alluding to what might happen if I tried, like I should be thrilled by this turn of events. I get that you're happy with your werewolf, but that doesn't mean what's right for you is right for me. What exactly is it that you think I can get out of this?"

With a sigh, Severus shook his head. "Yes, I'm happy, and yes, I know that what works for me might not work for you, but while I don't know that it _would_ work, you don't know that it _won't_. As to what you could get out of it... I don't know. Companionship? A lover? Someone to trust? Something to believe in, since you lost everything that matters?" He pointed toward Regulus' gun. "Look at it this way: what if you were caught in a battle without your favorite armament? What if the only thing you had to defend yourself with was something that had been thrust upon you in the midst of chaos? You might not like it; you might not even know if it would work. Maybe it seems underpowered, or it's not the right size, or caliber. Maybe it's even everything you hate: a shotgun instead of a sleek automatic. Do you throw it away and take your chances barehanded, or do you try it out and see if it works? Maybe it jams and you throw it away anyway, muttering how you were right to think it was crap. But maybe, just maybe, it turns out to be a surprising fit. Maybe it kicks arse and has no recoil. It surprises you, gives you something you never expected, and suddenly, you're a convert. But the point is, even though you didn't choose that weapon to begin with, you do have the choice about what you do with it now. Toss it out untested and go through life congratulating yourself that you are infallible and know everything, or use it and be proven right, in which case you can really believe you do know everything. Or maybe you use it and get the shock of your life. The point is that you _do_ have a choice, whether you see it or not, my friend. And in that choice, Gaius is the one who is powerless, not you. He will have to live with the consequences of your decision just as you are living with the consequences of his. I think that rather evens the score, don't you?"

"Only if there really is a way to break the bond," Regulus replied. "If not, then even if I decide not to try to make things work, I'll still be connected to him for the rest of my life. I see your point, however," he added. "I haven't been best pleased about not having a choice in the matter. The timing and circumstances haven't helped, either. I suppose I do have limited control, though, no matter what he wants - or how much you may disapprove."

Severus rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not my place to approve or disapprove, I realize that," he said wearily. "I just... want you to be happy, as odd as that may sound. You deserve it. But I'm your friend, no matter what happens or what decision you make. It _is_ your choice, and I respect that, but I can't help wanting to make sure that whatever decision you make, you've considered all the options. From the surprise you've shown at things I've said, I think it's safe to say I did bring up some things you'd not considered. But if you don't want me to say more, just tell me. I'm not about to risk your friendship over this."

"I don't want to risk our friendship either," Regulus said, glancing at Severus with a half-smile. "You've given me a lot to think about, and I'm not going to make any hasty decisions."

Severus snorted. "You definitely don't make hasty decisions," he said with amusement. Then he looked out the window. "We're here. I thought it might look more promising from the air, but it doesn't."

Regulus peered down at the ruins below and shook his head. "No, not really. It doesn't look like we'll find much, but I suppose it's worth a look anyway."

"We might as well, since we're here." Severus leaned forward to the pilot, tapping his shoulder and gesturing for them to be taken down, and the pilot nodded. They descended, and Severus drew his gun, checking that the safety was off and that the clip was full. Then he looked at Regulus. "I don't expect trouble, but trouble could be expecting us. Ready?"

Regulus drew his gun as well and nodded. "Ready."

"Then let's do it." The helicopter landed, and Severus emerged, waiting for Regulus to join him. He didn't know what they were going to find, if anything, but in a way, it didn't matter. He realized that everything he really wanted or needed, he already had. And if it cost him all the trappings of a life he no longer cared about, that was a price he was more than willing to pay.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	5. Chapter 5

When Gaius opened the door to the armory, he saw several of the guards hurrying about, all seeming intent on whatever errands they happened to be running. He glanced around, looking for Regulus, but he couldn't see him among the stacked boxes and crates of what Gaius could only presume were weapons and ammunition, although he couldn't decipher many of the arcane symbols on the sides. Yet the bond told him Regulus was somewhere amidst the chaos, and that was good enough to ease the pull he felt, the _need_ to be near Regulus. He didn't want to interfere or get in the way; he realized that Regulus was tolerating him, but he didn't want to press his luck. 

The bag on his shoulder held books, paper, and pens enough to keep him occupied with his own research for several hours, and so Gaius moved to one side of the room, settling himself on the floor with a bare wall at his back, and began to unload his bag, relaxing for the first time in several hours. Since, in fact, the time when Regulus had left one of the bedrooms of the suite they now shared and had gone to do whatever it was that weapons experts did with huge armories full of death-dealing weaponry. 

It had been a surprise, and also a bit of a relief, when Regulus had suggested that they share one of the suites on the third floor of the castle. It wasn't the solution Gaius would have liked most, but at least it was progress of a sort. After Regulus had returned from his errand with Severus, Gaius had been pale, shaking and sweating and feeling nauseated from the way the bond had affected him with Regulus so far away. Had he known Regulus was going to leave the castle, he would have wanted to go along, but the best he could do was curl up in a miserable ball on the bed they had shared the previous day and try to get through the ordeal as best he could. It had been unpleasant enough of an experience that he didn't want to suffer a repeat, yet neither did he want Regulus to feel as though he'd acquired a shadow who dogged his heels. So he compromised, enduring Regulus' absence for as long as he could before heading for the place he knew Regulus would be and finding a way to be there without being in the way.

Giving a quiet sigh of relief, Gaius opened a book he'd found in Godric's library, one on the earliest history of the vampires and werewolves, and began to read. His peace was short-lived, however, for in a matter of minutes, Regulus approached him, either stumbling across him by accident or having felt some sort of alert along the bond.

"I don't suppose I need to ask why you're here," Regulus said dryly. There was a notable lack of sarcasm or anger in his voice, which was a pleasant change, and he appeared more content, perhaps because he was busy - and because he was surrounded by high-power weaponry.

Smiling somewhat sheepishly, Gaius shrugged. "I hope I'm not in the way. I don't have to be under your feet; I don't want to interfere with your work. I stood it as long as I could, but..."

"The bond. I know." Regulus waved negligently. "I don't mind as long as you stay out of the way." He fixed Gaius with a shrewd look, then, which Gaius couldn't tell boded well or not. "Or you could make yourself useful."

"Oh?" Gaius closed his book, trying to quell the little surge of eagerness he felt at Regulus' words. He kept his tone light, letting the curiosity show but hopefully managing not to seem like a giddy schoolboy noticed by his crush. "It looks to me like you have a lot of helpers, and you know I don't know anything about guns. What is it you want me to do?"

"My helpers are here to move and lift, and you don't need to know anything about guns," Regulus replied, holding up a sleek, black compact laptop. "You're a scholar, so you know about cataloguing and archiving things, right? That's what I'm trying to do here. The armory is big and well-stocked, but it isn't organized. Obviously, they kept adding on and stockpiling in here over the years without doing regular inventories or maintaining any order. I'm going to change that, and as long as you understand how to input numbers and words in a database, you can help."

Gaius pretended to consider the request, looking down at his books as though he'd be giving up something by helping Regulus, but the truth was that he'd much rather be doing anything in Regulus' company rather than reading by himself. It was even more attractive of an invitation since Regulus had seemed to issue it out of a real desire to have Gaius close by and helping, rather than because Gaius had begged to be included. "All right," he said casually, giving a shrug before rising to his feet. "I have a little bit of experience with computers, mostly from using the library, but nothing extensive. I just hope I don't mess it up."

The look Regulus gave him made him suspect his attitude of studied cool wasn't fooling Regulus - one definite drawback to the bond - but Regulus didn't comment, merely beckoned Gaius to join him at a nearby table, which he'd obviously claimed as his workspace. "I'll show you what to do. After that, it's just a matter of inputting the data I give you," he said as he sat down, opened the laptop, and placed it on the table in front of him.

"Okay," Gaius said, settling down in a chair next to Regulus' and looking at the computer with unfeigned interest. "This one is a lot smaller than what I'm used to, but it looks... expensive."

"Not terribly expensive." Regulus focused on the screen for a moment, opening up a program unlike anything Gaius had used before. "These are pretty basic without a lot of bells and whistles, but it's useful for storing my database since I can carry it around more easily than a standard size laptop. Believe me, when I get around to ordering a personal computer, it'll be a lot more expensive than this one."

"Maybe I should see if I could get one, too, for organizing the histories," Gaius said, looking at the screen with interest. He pointed to the rows and columns of numbers and abbreviations on the screen. "I take it that's all the information you're trying to keep track of?"

"Right. I want to keep track of what we have, what we need, and what we're getting rid of," Regulus said. "Some of this stuff has been here for decades, and it's either outdated or unsafe to use. I like to keep thorough records, and I like things to be organized, so I've put some of the guards to work. They're doing the hauling while I figure out how to re-organize."

"Seems like a big task," Gaius said, glancing up at the stacks of boxes again. "I'll be glad to help you, though. At the moment, there isn't much call for a historian, and while reading through Godric's books is interesting, I can't claim it's going to be particularly useful." He ran a finger over the top of the small computer screen. "So... show me what to do. You'll no doubt have to translate the bizarre notations I've seen on those boxes. I can read several different languages, but 'gun' isn't one of them."

"Don't worry, you'll pick it up after the first few hundred entries," Regulus replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if you got to unearth a little history in here while you're at it. There's no telling how long they've been using this armory or how far back some of these weapons go."

"No sign of crossbows yet, sir," said a passing soldier, a young man with a mischievous expression that suggested they'd had this conversation before.

"You aren't finished looking," Regulus retorted with the first genuine sign of amusement Gaius had seen him exhibit. "Keep digging!"

It was good to see Regulus in a different mood, not serious or brooding or angry, but acting like... someone enjoying what he was doing. It gave Gaius a pang to realize that it had been someone other than he who had caused it, but he bit down on the unexpected flare of jealousy he felt. He didn't own Regulus, not by any stretch of the imagination, and he was coming to think that were it not for the bond, Regulus probably wouldn't even choose to be around him. It was a sobering thought, but there wasn't much of anything he could do about it. Just as there wouldn't be anything he could do if Regulus decided to take one of the guards as a lover. 

Drawing in a deep breath, Gaius buried his churning emotions deeply, not wanting Regulus to sense them; fortunately the bond seemed to affect him much more deeply than it did Regulus, so he had some hope that Regulus wouldn't feel undo pressure from Gaius' emotions. He couldn't help the feral glint in his eye as he watched the young guard walk away, but he managed to keep from growling.

"I'll be interested to see what is found," he said lightly. "And I do have a knack for organization, so I'm at your disposal."

But his hopes that Regulus hadn't noticed the flare of emotion were dashed when Regulus turned to him and raised one eyebrow. "Jealous?" Regulus asked, keeping his voice low as if to prevent the guards from overhearing their conversation. "There's no need. He's a human and younger than I was when I was turned to boot. Definitely not my type."

Gaius flushed and looked away. "Sorry. Apparently I'm not as good at hiding things as I thought," he said. "It's not my place to be jealous, anyway. I know that. I don't want you to feel... annoyed with me for it."

"I'm not annoyed," Regulus replied evenly. "I feel enough on my end of the bond to understand what it's like for you, at least to an extent. I understand you can't help it. I'm just letting you know I don't take humans as lovers, especially not very young humans, so you don't have to worry about catching me in bed with a fresh-faced new recruit."

"Oh." Gaius knew he shouldn't be relieved, but he was. He looked at Regulus, giving him a lopsided smile. "Thanks. For understanding, I mean." He paused, biting his lip, hesitating to ask what seemed the natural follow up question. There was always a chance Regulus might refuse to answer, but Gaius was an inquisitive man by nature, and Regulus was someone who had fascinated him for a very long time. Drawing in a breath, he decided to take the plunge. "If I may ask... what _is_ your type?"

Regulus glanced sidelong at him, seeming surprised by the question, but he didn't snap or frown at Gaius for asking. "I'm not sure I have one. If I do, I've never bothered to find out what it is. I generally don't pay close enough attention to other people to notice." He paused, seeming to consider the question further. "I found Severus attractive when we were lovers, so perhaps tall and dark are on the list."

"Severus?" Gaius' heart sank. There was almost nothing he had in common with the tall, acerbic vampire. Gaius was dark, but he was shorter than Regulus, and if that was something Regulus didn't like, there wasn't much Gaius could do about it. "Oh, right. Remus mentioned that you two were together."

"We weren't lovers very long," Regulus replied matter-of-factly, giving an insouciant shrug. "It wasn't premeditated either. It just sort of happened. We were both keyed up after an intense battle with the werewolves, feeling lucky to be alive, and we ended up in bed. We shagged for a while, but we were more like friends with benefits, I suppose. Apparently the final straw for him was when I called him 'Vera' in the middle of sex. Vera is what I call my favorite gun," he added as a seeming aside. "Anyway, we went back to being friends. I had one other lover before him. It happened shortly after I was turned, and he was killed by werewolves. Other than that, I've been too busy to bother with sex or relationships."

"Oh!" Gaius looked at him in complete shock, then rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks turning pink. "I suppose I just thought that... well. You're handsome, probably the most attractive man I've ever seen. And the vampires have quite a reputation for... appetites. I assumed you must have had lots of lovers. Anyone with any sense would have been trying to catch your eye."

"Work has always been my passion," Regulus said, shrugging again. "Plus you have to understand what it was like living at the mansion. There were a lot of political games and machinations which made it difficult to know who was trustworthy and who was only trying to use you - and who would turn on you in an instant if it suited their purposes. I ignored all the games and refused to play. I could afford to, because the Elders knew finding someone with my skills to replace me would be difficult at best, so I could remove myself, and I did. I trust Severus, and I trusted Bellatrix to an extent because of our family ties, but everyone else was suspect, too much so for me to want to take them to bed."

Gaius felt a surge of sympathy for Regulus; it wasn't easy to be caught in such a situation, he knew from experience. "It seems we have more in common than I might have thought," he said quietly. "I was in a similar position among the werewolves. James was the only one I really trusted. It was very different than I expected it to be."

"What exactly did you expect?" Regulus asked, his tone one of curiosity, not scathing derision.

"I think I was expecting it to be more cohesive," Gaius replied. He shrugged. "More like a family or something, I suppose. I was always an outsider, all the way back to my schooldays. I was fascinated by the works of writers like Poe and Verne, who seemed able to imagine so much _more_ than what our mundane world gave us. It fueled my interest in history and mythology, and it set me to looking for hints that the unimaginable actually existed. And I found them... the werewolves, and I was.... amazed. I think I was so giddy with my own success that I ignored what I didn't wish to see until I could no longer pretend that they were less... romantic than I thought."

"That's an understatement," Regulus said, snorting softly. "There isn't anything romantic about living in a sewer and scavenging like a pack of Morlocs."

"I have wondered what would have happened if I'd found the vampires first," Gaius mused, almost to himself. It was all too easy to remember the fierce feeling of success when he'd actually done it, found the unreal that everyone else overlooked and refused to believe. He'd been drunk with it, with knowing that he had managed to prove the unthinkable, and he'd been all too ready to accept the invitation Sirius had made. "I wasn't looking particularly for one or the other, you see... just for any of you. No doubt the vampires were more used to covering their tracks, what with being vulnerable during the daytime, but I didn't care at that point. I found them, and they accepted me, and when Sirius offered to turn me, I didn't hesitate. An eternity to study my dream... how could I have refused? But from the sound of it, I'd have fared no better among the vampires, and my curiosity probably would have gotten me killed. Voldemort spent no small amount of effort keeping all of you in the dark about the truth." Then he gave Regulus a curious look. "And how in the world did you know about the Morlocs?"

"I _read_ ," Regulus protested, although he seemed more amused than affronted. "Severus foists books off on me all the time. He says I need to read real books rather just than weapons journals all the time. I happen to like H.G. Wells."

"I liked him, too - a very interesting man. I met him a couple of times," Gaius said, his smile nostalgic. "He was a dreamer and a romantic, you know. I wonder which of us came out better, in the end? I spent my time looking for other worlds, while he spent his time writing about them. And now he's been dead for decades, and I'm... here."

"I suppose it depends on how you feel about being here," Regulus said pragmatically. "At least you're getting to see how much Wells and Verne got right about the future they imagined, even if your experience among the werewolves wasn't what you expected. It's over anyway. No matter what happens, you don't have to go back to your pack and live like that again, and you've got a whole library full of history to explore." He paused, then added slowly, "I think you're right. You would have fared worse among the vampires. Even if you were an outcast, they let you live."

"Yes," Gaius agreed softly. "But then again, I would have gotten to meet you under better circumstances. It might have been worth it." He gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Of course the odds are you wouldn't have noticed me at all, or thought I wanted to use you as the others did. Then again, who knows?"

"Or you might have realized how single-minded, work-obsessed, and boring I really am and ended up disinterested in me," Regulus pointed out, leaning back in his chair, seeming to put aside all pretense of working. "Or I might have called you 'Vera' in the middle of sex instead of Severus."

"I doubt I would have minded," Gaius murmured, mostly to himself. Then he looked at Regulus earnestly. "I can't argue with the fact that you are single-minded and work obsessed, but you're not boring. No one who likes Wells could be boring." He smiled. "You are simply passionate about what interests you, the same as I am. You focused on your weapons, and I focused on my obsession with the arcane. I imagine that if someone had caught your interest, you'd be just as focused and passionate about him."

"Severus said the same thing," Regulus said, sounding thoughtful. "I've always considered myself a loner, and I've been perfectly happy being alone. Sex is nice, but Severus claims I'd rather fondle a gun." He shrugged and smiled slightly. "Then again, he's been a loner too, and now look at him. All he can think about is Remus."

"They're lucky," Gaius said, unable to keep the wistfulness out of his tone. "They found each other so easily. Oh, I know that they've faced hardships, terrible ones and in a very short period of time, but... well, they faced it all together, didn't they? I saw Severus' face when he thought Remus was dead. It was as though he were dead as well, and his body simply didn't know it. Then when Remus was back... I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy. I know that not everyone ends up finding that sort of relationship, but just seeing it with them tells me that it does exist. I have a large capacity to believe in things that other people find silly, though."

"I saw Severus' face, too," Regulus replied quietly. "It was frightening to think he was ready to die because he'd lost someone he had known less than a week. This bonding thing..." He drew in a deep breath and shook his head. "It's overwhelming to think of its effects. That you _have_ to be near me, that it nearly killed Severus. I can scarcely wrap my mind around it." He looked at Gaius quizzically. "Haven't you had second thoughts?"

Gaius hesitated before answering, wanting to make sure that he said things the right way so that Regulus would understand. "Yes," he said softly. "Although not for myself - for you. I regret that what I did has caused you problems, because it wasn't what I intended at all. But you see, that's where I think you don't see the difference between the bond and the... feelings. I have no doubt that the loss of Remus and what it made Severus feel had nothing to do with any bond, but with the emotions he feels for Remus. Just as... well, I _have_ to be near you because of the bond, but it doesn't matter, really. Because I'd _want_ to be near you even without it."

"You're right, I don't see the difference," Regulus said candidly, regarding Gaius with a puzzled frown. "I don't understand how he and Remus could get so attached in such a short amount of time. The idea of love at first sight is romantic, but it isn't very practical. They have no idea whether their relationship will last for a year, much less centuries, and yet they've both jumped into a commitment. You bonded yourself to someone you hadn't even met, based on your attraction to a portrait. I don't understand that either. Maybe I _am_ good-looking, but you had no way of knowing whether we would be compatible. It just doesn't make sense." 

"No, it doesn't," Gaius agreed, his smile wry. He was certain he couldn't explain it to Regulus, but he had to try. "Yes, you're attractive, but I _had_ met you, albeit not for very long, remember? You were quite annoyed about it, too. Which isn't much better, I'm sure, when you're looking for logic in a situation which defies it. It's the same with Remus and Severus. Sometimes... sometimes what you _know_ isn't nearly as important as what you _feel_ , and unfortunately, there's no way to make it make sense to anyone else. I don't know if you've ever picked up one of your weapons and simply _known_ it was right, but I guess that's the closest I can come to explaining why. It's not something I saw with my eyes when I looked at you; it's something I felt with my heart. Which doesn't mean it's going to turn out as I wish, I know that. You're a free soul, and you can and will do as you wish; I simply hope that what you want and what I want might someday end up being the same."

"I'd like to say I choose my weapons based purely on logic, but to be honest, there's an element of instinct when it comes to picking my favorite," Regulus admitted. "Something about it feels right, so in that sense, I understand what you mean. I suppose I simply find it difficult to apply the principle to someone choosing _me_." He shrugged slightly and looked away. "I can't guarantee what will happen, but I suppose you know that already." 

"I do," Gaius said softly. He hesitated again, then reached out and touched the back of one of Regulus' hands, a light, fleeting caress. "You know, you're nothing like your brother. Well, Sirius is single-minded, too, but not in a way that's good or constructive. It's hard to see the two of you as being from the same family, and I assure you that I've never been remotely attracted to him, even though you look alike. So you see, it wasn't all just about looks or that portrait. Call it my instinct, but I was certain that you were different from him, and I was right. You're special."

That actually evoked a blush, the tinge of pink in Regulus' cheeks faint but definitely there. "I don't consider myself special, but Sirius and I have always been different," he said. "He was the oldest son with all the perks that entailed, and I was left to pursue my own interests because I was the spare. It wasn't until my parents and Bellatrix realized I have a knack for engineering that they turned their attention away from him and toward me. I realize now that Bellatrix didn't choose me because she liked me better or because I'm special; she chose me because she thought I was more useful than Sirius. Unfortunately, he didn't take the rejection well." 

"It sounds as though your family was unfair to both of you," Gaius said, feeling a surge of protectiveness for Regulus. "You were both used and discarded at their whim, and so it's no wonder that you don't trust people. Maybe you only realized what had been done to you recently on a conscious level, but from the sound of it, you must have always suspected, and it must have colored your relationships."

Regulus appeared taken aback, although whether it was because he felt Gaius' protectiveness or because of what Gaius had said wasn't clear. He cleared his throat before he spoke, sounding a little uncertain. "I hadn't thought of that," he admitted. "But perhaps you're right. I was never close to my parents or Bellatrix until they began grooming me to be turned, and I was never close to Sirius, period. Perhaps that did affect me more than I ever realized." 

"I think it's almost certain it did," Gaius replied gently. He could just imagine Regulus as a lonely little boy, pushed away in favor of his older brother, then suddenly the tables being turned when the adults realized that Regulus was more special than they could have imagined. Then, too, it explained Sirius; to be the pet son, the one given everything, then suddenly rejected in favor of a younger child he barely tolerated. "They did a horrible thing to both of you, and it's sad to see that their evil has gone on for hundreds of years, affecting your entire immortality. But now that you know about it, at least you can make a choice to change it if you wish."

"I can, yes," Regulus mused softly, appearing lost in thought for a moment. "It seems a lot of ugly truths have come to light lately, and a lot of shackles have been broken. I suppose I might as well add one more to the list."

"Oh?" Gaius tilted his head to one side, curious. "What are you planning to do, if I may ask?"

"I don't know." Regulus smiled wryly and shook his head. "But almost everything else I thought was true has been turned upside-down, and I've lost almost everything safe and familiar. I've had to change how I look at the war, the werewolves, my own kind. I might as well incorporate this new revelation as well. I may be single-minded, but I don't cling to false ideas just because it's easier to believe a lie than change my mind, and I can't ignore what I've figured out today, either." 

"Another way in which you differ from Sirius," Gaius said with a rueful chuckle. "I'd feel sympathy for you, but really, I have to admire you for your strength. I regret what you've had to go through, but you've met every difficulty with courage and determination. Which isn't to say you're perfect, so don't let it go to your head, but I don't know that I could have held up as well if our roles had been switched."

"I suppose spending my life tinkering with machinery has taught me patience," Regulus replied. "Machines are easier to deal with than people. If something doesn't work, you look for a way to fix it. All the lies and manipulation are just another way of being broken, and I have to fix it and make it work again, at least for myself." 

"I see your point," Gaius replied slowly. "You know, I'm guilty of manipulating you, too. By instigating the bond without your consent. I honestly didn't mean it to be that way, but I can understand how, from your point of view, it was just another person using you. I'm sorry about that, and I'd like to fix it, if I can. If there's any way you can think of for me to make it work between us, I'll do it."

Regulus gave him another startled look, as if surprised by the apology, and he nodded slowly. "I haven't ever gotten an apology before," he said. "Somehow I doubt Bellatrix, Voldemort, or Gellert would apologize for what they did to all of us. I can't think of anything off-hand, but I'll think on it and let you know. I appreciate that you realized what a difficult position you put me in, though. That helps."

"I'm glad." Gaius smiled, pleased that he'd managed to do something that seemed to mean something to Regulus, after everything he'd managed to get wrong. "Just let me know what you'd like for me to do." He pointed to the forgotten laptop. "Even if it's filling in little boxes on that computer for the next century or two."

That coaxed a chuckle from Regulus, who sat up straight as if preparing to get back to work. "I'll settle for you filling in little boxes for the next few hours," he said, and then he gave Gaius an arch look. "If you're finished distracting me with conversation to avoid learning the language of guns, that is." 

Gaius rolled his eyes and laughed. "So it's all my fault? All right, I'll take the blame... this time. So, Mr. Weapons Expert, you'd better teach me your language. I warn you, I'm a fast learner."

"We'll see about that," Regulus replied, an undercurrent of amusement in his voice. "We'll start with teaching you how to use the database. After that, we'll move up to actual numbers, if you're up for it." 

Could it possibly be that Regulus was actually teasing him? Gaius looked startled,and then he grinned, happiness seeming to make his toes tingle, and he curled them inside his shoes. "Oh, I'm up for it," he replied, tongue firmly in cheek. "I'm up for anything you want me to do."

"One step at a time, puppy," Regulus replied, although he did reach out to pat Gaius on the head - the first time he'd touched Gaius of his own accord. "Now focus on the screen. You've got an engineer's system to learn." 

Gaius didn't mind being called puppy, not in this case. Coming from Regulus, accompanied by a voluntary touch, it seemed almost like an endearment. He turned his attention to the screen as directed, wanting to do whatever he could to please Regulus. He felt they'd made progress, and he wanted it to continue. Perhaps it would take time, but they were both immortals. Time was one thing Gaius had, and he didn't begrudge a single moment spent earning Regulus' trust.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	6. Chapter 6

_"No!"_

_Horrified, Gaius watched as Sirius lifted his arm, the knife in his hand already stained red. He didn't know how Sirius had managed it - escaping, then hunting down Regulus - but he'd done it, and Gaius was rooted to the spot in horror, unable to move as he watched Sirius bring the knife down again and again, plunging it deep in to Regulus' helpless body. The floor of the armory was coated with Regulus' blood, the copper scent of it on the air, but still Gaius couldn't move. It was as though he'd been turned to stone, and he could only stare in shock, screams ripped from his throat as Regulus looked at him, his pale eyes dimming as he reached out one hand toward Gaius, as though entreating him for help._

_Sirius laughed, and Gaius couldn't drown out the sound, no matter how loud he screamed for it to stop. But it didn't stop; Regulus gasped, then went completely limp in Sirius' grasp._

_"Finally, I'm the favorite again," Sirius said, dropping Regulus' lifeless body to the floor, where it landed with a sickening crack of Regulus' skull against the floor. Then Sirius started toward Gaius, a horrible smile on his face. "You picked the wrong brother, you know. But now the only one left is me..."_

With a gasp, Gaius sat up in bed, his heart pounding, his blood singing in his ears. He was sweating and breathing hard as he realized where he was - his bedroom, in the suite he shared with Regulus in Godric's castle. But the nightmare was still there, the scent and sight of Regulus' blood refusing to be erased by the mundane surroundings of his room. Throwing back the sweat-soaked sheet, Gaius surged to his feet, unable to get the image of Regulus' dead body from his mind. He had to see Regulus, had to _know_ that he was all right, or else he'd never be able to rest.

Stumbling in his haste, Gaius opened the door of the bathroom which separated their bedrooms, then nearly ripped the door of Regulus' room from its hinges. He sprang across the room in a single bound, hardly realizing he'd half-transformed into his bestial state. But once he was beside the bed, staring down at Regulus' pale, still form, he began to calm down. Regulus was there, just as he should be, and Gaius almost sobbed in relief. The nightmare had been far too real for his liking.

Reaching out a trembling hand, Gaius smoothed a strand of Regulus' hair back from his cheek. Regulus' skin was cool to the touch, the unnatural coolness that vampires always had, a touch of the grave. It was a disturbing image, and Gaius shuddered, suddenly growing chilled himself as the air in the room caused the sweat to dry on his skin. It didn't help that the bond was slumbering, too, present but without the affirmation of conscious thought he got when Regulus was awake. Before he even realized what he was doing, Gaius pulled back the sheets and slipped into the bed beside Regulus, pulling Regulus into his arms and clinging to him. He breathed deeply, inhaling Regulus' scent, letting it wash away the dream-taint. Regulus' cool body began to warm in his arms, and Gaius closed his eyes, comforted by the sensation. It wouldn't do for him to stay long, because Regulus would probably be angry at Gaius for this intrusion, but Gaius needed this. Needed it almost as much as he needed to breathe.

But despite his best intentions, he must have nodded off, because the next thing he knew, his life-sized teddy bear was moving in his arms, and a sleep-raspy voice was murmuring in his ear. "Gaius? What are you doing here?" 

Gasping, Gaius opened his eyes and stared into Regulus' with shocked embarrassment. He swallowed hard, feeling his entire body flush. "Sorry," he said, then shivered, as the remnants of the nightmare rose again in his mind. "I had a nightmare. You... Sirius killed you, and I couldn't stop him. It was so real, and... I had to see you, to know that you were all right. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Rather than annoyance - or worse, anger - Gaius sensed nothing but drowsiness from Regulus and perhaps even a tinge of sympathy, although perhaps that was wishful thinking on his part. 

"Ah, I see." Regulus gazed at him sleepily, his pale eyes half-lidded, but not dimmed as they had been in Gaius' dream. "Poor puppy. It was just a dream." 

"Yes, thank God," Gaius said. He shivered again, feeling chilled at the thought of Regulus being taken from him. "I just felt so helpless. He attacked you, and I wanted to get to you, to save you, but I couldn't move. It was horrible. I couldn't stand it if anything like that happened."

"It won't. Sirius is locked up safe and sound, and even if he escaped somehow, there are hundreds of guards in the castle. I'm capable of holding my own in a fight, too," Regulus replied. He paused, and then he slid one arm around Gaius, as if to offer comfort. "You're shivering," he murmured. "But I'm not the best source of warmth, unfortunately." 

Gaius leaned into the embrace; just the fact that Regulus was offering it was a comfort, and he sighed, then gave a small chuckle. "Your presence is the only thing that can warm me," he murmured. "You're right, Sirius is locked up, and he can't hurt you or anyone else. It just unnerved me, that's all; I've never had a dream that vivid. I can still see it. I wish I could get the images out of my head!"

"I don't know what to suggest." Regulus moved his hand up to smooth Gaius' hair back from his face with gentle fingers. "Vampires don't dream, and if I had nightmares when I was human, I don't remember them anymore. The sun is going down, though, and you've got more numbers to face. Perhaps that will chase the shadows away." 

The caress of Regulus' fingers was soothing, and it finally started to sink in for Gaius that he was lying in Regulus' bed, with Regulus in his arms, and that Regulus was voluntarily touching him - stroking him, even, with a touch that was delicate and gentle, almost lover-like. The nightmare images faded, unable to persist in the face of Gaius' secret dreams suddenly brought to reality. His shivering stopped, and he flushed, lowering his gaze in an unconsciously coy gesture. 

"I think you're doing a good job of chasing away the shadows all by yourself," he murmured. "Thank you."

"I could feel how upset you were," Regulus replied, sliding his hand down to rest on Gaius' back. "Although even without the bond, I think you clinging to me like a leech and shaking hard enough to rattle the headboard would be enough of a clue that you needed a little comforting, even for someone as clueless as me." 

"I suppose I was pretty obvious," Gaius admitted. He drew in a deep breath, feeling himself relaxing further, comforted by Regulus in a way he'd not imagined possible given the rocky start to their relationship. But Gaius wasn't about to question it; if Regulus felt like offering comfort, Gaius was more than happy to take it and be grateful. He was warming up at last and in no hurry to move if Regulus was content to remain in bed. "I think the most disconcerting part was that when you're at rest during the day, I can barely feel you through the bond, so the reassurance that you were all right simply wasn't there. It made it more difficult to keep from panicking."

"That makes sense," Regulus said, the sleep-raspy edge wearing off his voice as he seemed to wake more fully, but he still didn't move away. "Our sleep is more like a coma than normal human sleep, so it's little wonder you can't sense me as well. Hopefully, you won't have anymore nightmares, but if you do, it's all right if you come in here. Obviously," he added dryly, "you won't disturb my slumber." 

"Thanks," Gaius replied with a soft laugh, appreciative of Regulus' sense of humor. "I see now how it could have been a true symbiosis for our species in the beginning. A werewolf could protect and warm his slumbering vampire, and the vampire wouldn't care if his bed partner snored or kicked or stole the covers. Sounds like a match made in heaven, doesn't it?"

Regulus seemed to consider the question seriously, and when he spoke, his tone was thoughtful. "It's certainly beneficial to vampires, since we're at our most vulnerable during the day, and I can't deny the warmth is a nice benefit. But what did the werewolves get out of it, I wonder? There doesn't seem to be as much advantage in having a cold companion who's comatose at least eight hours out of every day." 

Gaius thought about it for a moment. "The advantages aren't as obvious, but I can believe it has to do with vampires being less prone to fits of anger and random violence than most of the werewolves," he replied. "A vampire could be a moderating influence on a werewolf partner and also provide protection in return. Then there is the fact that you smell good to us. Perhaps not the strongest argument to a modern person, but pheromones are a very common thing for other species to use in choosing partners." He crinkled his nose playfully. "There could be other benefits, as well, things that no one remembers because it's been so long since there were bonded pairs. Maybe I'll find more in my research."

"We _smell_ good?" Regulus' eyebrows climbed at that, and he appeared amused by the idea. "Pheromones aside, maybe vampires and werewolves are meant to balance each other out. Yin and yang, so to speak. Vampires lean more toward cold logic and pragmatism and werewolves lean more toward fiery passion and emotion. Anyway, you don't have to rely on research alone. You've got Remus and Severus to study." He paused, sounding a little awkward as he added, "Not to mention our own experiences. The bond may not be as strong for me as it is for you, but it still has an effect on me."

"I know," Gaius said softly, his expression apologetic. "I think it's been better, though, since we realized the effect we have on each other, don't you?"

"I think so, yes," Regulus replied. "At least we seem to have gotten off that negative feedback loop, which helps considerably. As does the fact that I have something useful to focus on, other than brooding," he admitted wryly. 

"It's always good to have something to take your mind off the bad things," Gaius replied with a rueful smile. "Sort of like this, with us talking and it helping me get over the nightmares. Occupation, and time... I guess that's the way to get past almost everything."

"Almost everything, indeed." Regulus patted Gaius' back, gazing at him questioningly. "Are you feeling better enough to get up and get to work? Moonlight is burning, and we have numbers to crunch." 

"I feel much better. Thanks for your patience," Gaius said. He was still reluctant to move, but Regulus had been tremendously tolerant and understanding, and Gaius didn't want to press his luck. Releasing Regulus, he nodded. "I'll work extra hard to make up for making us late."

"Don't worry," Regulus replied as he rolled out of bed and stretched languidly. "I'll make sure you do. I'll keep you so busy that at the end of the night, you'll be too exhausted to dream, much less have nightmares again." 

Gaius stood as well, but he couldn't help watching the graceful arch of Regulus' body as he stretched, feeling a pang of longing which he quickly suppressed. "You can have the shower first," he said, turning to head back to his room. He stopped, looking at the bathroom door in surprise; it was ripped half off its hinges and hanging askew. "Oh, my. I guess I'll have to get someone to fix that. I didn't realize I'd been quite so... forceful."

"Huh." Regulus surveyed the damage with a blend of surprise and respect. "Well, you might not be very good at sparring, but at least we know you can wrestle innocent doors into submission." 

Gaius chuckled, catching that Regulus was teasing him. "Well then, as long as we make sure all our enemies are tall, thin, and rectangular, I suppose I'll never have a problem," he replied. Then his smile turned wicked. "I suppose that should just go to show you that when I really want something, I don't let anything stand in my way, no matter how immovable it might seem to be."

Regulus glanced back at him, eyebrows climbing again, and a half-smile tugged his lips. "Small, but fierce and determined," he said. "I'll remember that." 

Eyes dancing with mirth, all shadows gone, Gaius nodded. "See that you do," he said primly, then sidestepped the wrecked door. "Just let me know when you're done with the shower. I have to hurry to get ready, since my boss is a real bloodsucker."

Regulus gave a loud snort at that. "Bad puppies get muzzled," he retorted before disappearing into the bathroom. 

Gaius watched him go, giving a wistful sigh. "I wish," he murmured softly, knowing Regulus couldn't hear. "You can tie me up any way you'd like." They weren't at that point yet, but the progress they'd made over the last few days gave him hope. Smiling again, he headed toward his own room, looking forward to spending the night working at Regulus' side.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	7. Chapter 7

Regulus didn't consider himself the contemplative type, but after facing so many hard truths in such a short amount of time, he'd found himself engaging in more introspection than he was accustomed to, but in his methodical way, he was sorting through everything he'd heard and learned and making decisions about what to do about it.

He still hadn't made up his mind on the matter of Gaius, although things _were_ much better; Gaius had been radiating contentment rather than doubt, and since Regulus was feeling pretty content himself now that he had a useful job to do, they were successfully avoiding all the negative emotion that had made the early days so difficult. Gaius' apology had helped, as had having a little time to settle in; Regulus was starting to see Gaius as an individual, not as an unwanted nuisance, and he was even starting to _like_ Gaius.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized he wanted the very thing he'd avoided his entire life: close connections. Now that he understood where his aversion came from, he was determined to overcome it, unwilling to let his manipulative family pull his emotional strings any longer. Once he'd decided to shed the shackles of the past, he realized he wanted to trust someone, and he had just such a someone right there.

Gaius was the perfect candidate; the bond assured Regulus that Gaius wasn't out to use or manipulate him, and he could tell Gaius genuinely cared about _him_ , not about what he could do or how useful he was. With Severus wrapped up in his own relationship and mending fences with Sirius a herculean task at best, Regulus thought the logical thing to do was stop fighting and start enjoying the benefits of having his own werewolf companion. He wasn't ready to jump into bed with Gaius, despite Severus' encouragement on that point, but he wasn't inclined to push Gaius away or keep him at a safe distance either.

But he still wanted to see if he could salvage something with Sirius. They were brothers, and they were still alive, even after fighting on opposite sides for centuries. Surely a second chance was possible. Not that he fooled himself into thinking it would be easy, but he couldn't cling to his old hatred of his brother after realizing Sirius had been used and hurt just as much as he had. Perhaps if he could make Sirius understand how they had been manipulated and how much they had in common, Sirius would be willing to set aside their differences.

With that in mind, he left the armory early, although he remembered to tell Gaius he needed to take care of a private matter before leaving. "Stay, puppy," he admonished playfully, wagging his finger, and he earned a startled look followed by laughter and blushes from Gaius before he headed off to the cell block below the castle.

The guards let him through without hesitation, and he approached Sirius' cell with some trepidation. There was no telling what kind of welcome he would get, especially considering their last encounter, but he was determined to remain calm and do his best to get through to Sirius.

"Hello, Sirius," he said evenly as he moved to stand at a safe distance from the bars. "I hope they're treating you well in here."

Sirius had managed to turn his bunk on its head and lean it up against one of the stone walls, and he was using the legs as an improvised exercise machine, pulling his weight up against gravity and lowering back down again. He'd stripped to the waist, and his back gleamed with sweat, showing off hard muscles. Gaius might not know how to fight, but it was obvious from the scars which crossed his skin that Sirius did. He even had a few tattoos on his back, one of them of a full, grey moon on his left shoulder. Sirius ignored him for a few moments, and then he lowered himself to the ground, picking up his shirt and wiping his face on it before turning to look at Regulus. His expression seemed neutral, but his pale eyes, so similar to Regulus' own, glittered like chips of ice.

"Well, if it isn't my loving brother," he drawled, sauntering across the cell toward the bars. "Where's your little lap dog? Off licking your boots?"

"He's busy helping us rebuild a better life," Regulus replied. "We're breathing a lot easier these days without the Elders controlling and manipulating us. You could be a part of it, if you wanted to."

"You may have turned the head of your love-struck little traitor, but I'm not that stupid," Sirius said, reaching out to wrap his hands around the bars, leaning into them so that he could bare his teeth at Regulus. "You're on your last legs, you and that Severus, aren't you? Only the two of you left, so you have to go for a desperation play to win. All this talk of peace... I don't buy it for a moment! You've lost, and so now you want to make us think you want peace, just so you can destroy us. Oh no, my brother, I'm not falling for that. I know you too well. Far better than you might believe."

"No, I don't think you know me at all, no more than I know you," Regulus retorted. "You remember what it was like at home as well as I do. Our parents played favorites and drove us apart, and we were both used by Bellatrix. We were both manipulated. I realize that now, and I don't want to keep fighting you, not just as vampire against werewolf, but as brother against brother."

"Oh, really?" Sirius gave a look of mock surprise, stepping back from the bars to press his hand over his heart. "That changes everything! You were lied to, and after all these centuries, that certainly makes all the difference! How in the world could I ever want to fight with you again? Come here and give me a hug, and we'll be as close as we were as children."

Regulus sighed, disheartened, but not terribly surprised by Sirius' behavior. Sirius had always been the more stubborn of them, always determined to have his own way. "It does make a difference to me," he said. "What I believed about the war turned out to be a lie. I never liked all the political machinations among the vampires anyway, and now that I know it was all a waste of time, I'm determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past." He looked at Sirius with growing frustration. "Do you love killing so much that you'll cling to a lie just so you can keep on doing it? Aren't you weary of fighting after all these years?"

Sirius lunged forward, grasping the bars again, his feature twisted into a snarl. "Me, love killing? Oh no, my brother, that's always been _your_ department, hasn't it? You and your guns, your weapons. You're the one who built the things that killed my friends for centuries! And I _do_ know you, no matter what you might think. I made it back to your little hidey hole before you did, and I saw what was there, what you had done. It told me all I needed to know about you."

Frowning, Regulus tried to figure out what Sirius was alluding to; clearly his brother had something in mind, but he was at a loss to think of what it was. There was only one thing - a prototype weapon he'd been tinkering with - that might qualify, but when he and Severus had returned to the mansion, they had found the workshop in ruins, its contents buried in rubble and likely damaged beyond repair, if not destroyed outright. He doubted the werewolves could have unearthed much of anything, much less that particular project, from the ruins.

"I did design and build weapons," he said at last. "I enjoyed the war as much as you did. But now that I know what it was really about, my pleasure in the fight has dimmed. I don't want to kill you or any other werewolf. Not anymore." 

"What a load of shit," Sirius snapped. He stepped back from the bars with a snarl of disgust. "I'm not interested in anything you're offering. You've always taken what I wanted, and I've no reason to believe your change of heart. No, my brother, this war is still on. If you don't want to fight, so much the better. It will make it easier for me to win."

Feeling his temper rising, Regulus gave a snarl of his own and stepped back. "Just think about it," he said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice, knowing it would only give Sirius reason to gloat. Before he could say or do anything to make things worse - although that seemed impossible - he spun and strode out without a backwards glance, ready to put some distance between himself and his thick-headed brother.

He left the cell block, and standing on the other side of the door, his expression full of sympathy, was Gaius. "I could feel your frustration," Gaius said quietly. He was radiating a sense of comfort, and he stepped closer to Regulus, gesturing toward the way out. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I tried to talk to Sirius," Regulus ground out through clenched teeth as he strode out. "I tried to convince him to end the feud. I told him what we talked about - the damage, the manipulation. I thought if he could see what wounds our parents inflicted on both of us, he would understand, like I did, but he..." He broke off and shook his head angrily.

"But he is not you, and he's not going to see reason. Not yet," Gaius replied, following close by Regulus' side. "I've tried to get him to give up on the war for a long time, but he doesn't want to hear it. I had hoped that maybe, coming from you, he'd listen, but it seems he's still determined to resist. I just wish I knew what would sway him! He seems to feel this need to win, even when the situation isn't winnable."

"He said something about me always taking what he wanted," Regulus said, his anger ebbing as he put some distance between himself and Sirius and the calming effect of Gaius' presence began overlapping the anger and washing it away. "Maybe that goes hand in hand with his desire to win at all costs." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Anyway, it's hopeless for now. But as long as he's locked up here, we've got nothing but time to convince him."

"Exactly," Gaius agreed. He laid a hand on Regulus' arm, a gentle pressure that went with the reassurance he was sending over the bond. "We'll wear him down. I'll talk to him as well. He and I were friends once; perhaps he'll listen to me."

"Just be careful," Regulus warned. "You know him, so you know how cunning he is. If you were friends, though, perhaps you'll have more influence than I do. We were never friends, not even as children, so he'll probably be far more resistant to me."

"And he already outranks me, so there's nothing to 'win' with me, since I made my disinterest in anything more than friendship clear long ago," Gaius replied. "I'll be careful; I know there is no way I could beat him in a fight. Otherwise I'd be tempted to challenge him for the position of Alpha and put an end to this."

Regulus stopped and whirled to face Gaius, and he reached out to grip Gaius' shoulders tightly. "Don't even think it," he said sternly. "It may be tempting, but he'd kill you, and I doubt he'd feel a moment's remorse for it."

Gaius' eyes widened. "I won't," he replied, the bond echoing his surge of pleasure at Regulus' protectiveness. "I do know my limitations." He gave a lopsided smile. "Although if we keep him here long enough, perhaps I'll get good enough to be able to do it. How long can it take? Two centuries? Maybe three?"

Despite his foul mood, Regulus chuckled at that and loosened his grip on Gaius' shoulders, although he didn't let go, turning the grasp into a brief caress and drawing comfort from the contact. In the past, he might have refused to talk or rely on anyone else, but he had changed - was changing - and it was easier to talk to Gaius than he expected it would be.

"At least that long," he replied. "But then again, you have an excellent teacher, so it might take less time than we think," he added archly.

"I suppose we'd better get started, then," Gaius said, his voice a bit husky, but there was nothing coming from the bond except a sense of comfort and pleasure. "Until then, perhaps I can talk to him until he gives up. My students often said that I could absolutely kill a captive audience."

The chuckle escalated to outright laughter, and Regulus maneuvered Gaius under his arm and steered him toward the main staircase; dawn was approaching, and Regulus didn't want to be caught too far from a comfortable bed. "Then it seems we have a secret weapon that Sirius never dreamed would be unleashed on him," he said, securing his arm around Gaius' shoulders, a little surprised by how well Gaius fit against his side. "In the meantime, I should thank you. You've diffused my bad mood even better than a few rounds at the firing range would do."

"Really?" Gaius looked startled at that, but then he grinned, obviously pleased by the praise, and moved readily into the half-embrace as they headed out of the lockup. "You're certainly welcome." He dropped his gaze. "You have a nice laugh. I'd like to hear it more often."

It was Regulus' turn to be startled, and then he smiled ruefully. "I'm single-minded and obsessed, but I'm not all doom and gloom by nature. I suppose I haven't had much to laugh about recently, all things considered, but that seems to be changing."

"I'm glad," Gaius replied. "Laughter is one of the great gifts of humanity. I know quite a few funny stories, actually." He gave Regulus a wink. "If you'd like, I can even tuck you in and tell you one before you do your Bela Lugosi imitation for the day."

Regulus looked at him askance, one eyebrow raised, and debated whether to accept the offer or not. On the one hand, he didn't want to rush into anything prematurely with Gaius, which included sending wrong or mixed signals, but on the other, Gaius seemed to be following his lead and not taking anything for granted, so perhaps it was safe to accept. At his age, being tucked in and told a bedtime story seemed absurd, but it was also something he had missed out on as a child, and if nothing else, it would help keep his mind off Sirius' stubborn refusal to listen to reason.

"All right," he said at last. "I'll let you tell me a story, and we'll see if you're as funny as you claim or if your students were right after all."

"Excellent! You've made a wise choice." Gaius smiled, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I think I know just the story, too. Hopefully your sense of humor isn't too cerebral!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, my skills are in making things, not thinking about them," Regulus replied, amusement lacing his voice. "I've been called many things over the centuries, but cerebral isn't one of them."

"Then we'll get along just fine," Gaius replied with a chuckle. "I can be cerebral, but my sense of humor is base and evil. I don't resort to leaving pincushions on seats, but I'd certainly be amused if someone else did."

"My sense of humor isn't that practical," Regulus said, straight-faced as they headed up the stairs to the third floor.

"Oh?" Gaius lifted a brow, his lips twitching. "Then that's the only thing about you that isn't!"

"Very true." Regulus chuckled and inclined his head to acknowledge the point. "Although now I have to wonder what else about you might be base and evil other than your sense of humor."

Gaius looked at Regulus with an expression that was far too innocent to be innocent. "Why Regulus, whatever do you mean?" he asked, batting his eyelashes coyly. "I'm not the sort of wolf who kisses and tells!"

The response wasn't what Regulus expected, and he grew flustered for the first time in longer than he could remember; although he tried to cover, he suspected Gaius would be able to sense his response along the bond, and he shook his head and gave Gaius a swat on the backside. "Naughty puppy! I wasn't talking about _that_. I just meant in general." 

If anything, Gaius looked even more innocently bewildered, although the bond echoed what must have been his unholy glee at having flustered Regulus. "Oh!" he murmured, then chuckled, unable to restrain his amusement any longer. "Sorry... I warned you I was bad, didn't I? But I think that's the only part of me that's truly awful. Otherwise I'm a pretty boring academic."

"Well, I'm a boring engineer, so perhaps we'll end up putting each other to sleep," Regulus replied, giving Gaius another half-exasperated, half-amused look at the unrepentant glee. 

"Oh, I suspect we'll manage to keep each other entertained somehow," Gaius drawled. "But speaking of putting things to sleep, we'd better hurry or you won't get your story before sunrise!"

They were almost to the suite anyway, but Regulus nodded and quickened his pace, herding Gaius along with him; once there, he headed straight to his bedroom to change into the long-sleeved black tee-shirt and flannel drawstring pants he favored for sleeping in. When he was ready, he poked his head out of the room. 

"All right, I'm ready to be tucked in now," he called out. 

Gaius hadn't changed, possibly to make it clear he wasn't expecting more than what he had suggested. He smiled and headed toward Regulus, gesturing for him to get in the bed. "Settle in, and I'll take care of the tucking," he said.

As he turned back the covers and climbed into bed, Regulus thought Severus might laugh if he found out about this, but that wasn't enough to keep Regulus from settling in anyway, and he regarded Gaius with a haughtily arch look. "Well?"

Chuckling, Gaius moved to the side of the bed, reaching back to plump Regulus' pillows, then turning his attention to straightening the covers with every appearance of competence. Once that side was smoothed and tucked close to Regulus' body, Gaius moved to the other side, giving it the same attention. Then he straightened, looking at his work with a critical eye. "So, will that do for the tucking?" he asked.

"I believe it qualifies as the best job anyone has ever done in tucking me in," Regulus replied. Of course, it was also the _only_ time anyone had ever tucked him in, but he didn't see the need to mention that. 

Gaius looked pleased. "Excellent. And now for your story," he said, perching on the edge of the bed near Regulus' hip. "A vampire and a werewolf were hanging out on a street corner. Both of them were very, very hungry, but it was late at night and there weren't any people around. The werewolf, in desperation, began to root around in a garbage can, looking for anything to fill his rumbling belly.

"'How can you eat that?' the vampire asked, turning up his nose. The werewolf shrugged. 'It's better than starving to death.'

"Just then a man in a suit walked by. 'Aha!' the vampire said, grinning with satisfaction. 'I saw him first, so I call dibs!' With that, the vampire stalked toward the man. The werewolf, a bit jealous at the vampire's good fortune, watched as he snacked on something moldy and unidentifiable from the garbage. He was surprised when the vampire got close to the man, exchanged a few words with him, then started back toward him without so much as a nibble on the man's neck.

"'What's wrong?' the werewolf asked. The vampire shook his head dejectedly. 'He's a lawyer. We have a mutual non-aggression pact between blood suckers. But you go ahead. At least one of us should get a decent meal.'

"The werewolf shrugged and nodded, thinking that maybe his luck had turned. He, too walked toward the man, and the vampire watched as the werewolf drew closer, then took a deep sniff. Holding his nose, the werewolf practically ran back to the vampire, shuddering in revulsion before turning his attention back to trying to make a meal out of the garbage.

"'What was that all about?' the vampire asked. 'Why didn't you bite him?'

"'It's worse than just being a lawyer; he's also a politician,' the werewolf replied, making a face. 'Believe me, there is some crap that even _we_ won't eat!'"

Regulus laughed, and when his mind cast Lucius as the lawyer/politician, he grew even more amused by the joke. "As someone who finds politics and all the related machinations boring, I have to agree."

"And so do I," Gaius said, his expression one of satisfaction. He stood, facing Regulus, looking down at him for a moment before leaning down and pressing a swift kiss to Regulus' forehead. "That's part of the ritual, too," he added softly. "Good night, Regulus. I'd wish you pleasant dreams, but as you don't have any dreams at all, I'll simply wish you a good rest."

"Good night," Regulus replied, feeling a tingling warmth where Gaius' lips had touched his skin, and he smiled up at Gaius. "You'll have to have enough pleasant dreams for both of us." 

"Somehow I don't think that will be a problem," Gaius replied, his eyes gleaming. He turned toward the door, opening it and turning out the light. He paused in the doorway, looking back at Regulus, and Regulus could see the way his eyes were visible even in the darkness, one of the natural adaptations of the werewolves. Then Gaius was gone, closing the door quietly behind him.

Regulus watched him go, feeling inexplicably as if the room was emptier without him there. It was foolish, of course, and Regulus settled in with a quiet sigh, waiting for the familiar pull of oblivion as the sun rose. He knew if he called out, Gaius would come back, but he didn't think he ought to. Not yet. As nice as it would be to have a companion in bed with him, he didn't want to lead Gaius on, not when things were going well. No, it was best to keep things at a slow and reasonable pace, even if it meant more nights without his own living, breathing, and _warm_ werewolf to join him.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	8. Chapter 8

After Regulus was tucked into bed, Gaius went back to his own room, but he was too restless to sleep. He was glad to have helped calm Regulus, but some of Regulus' anger and frustration seemed to have shifted to him. However, it wasn't a new feeling for him when it came to dealing with Sirius. Sirius was pigheaded, especially when it came to the subject of the war. Gaius suspected it wasn't even truly because of a hatred of vampires; Sirius hated his brother, and the war would continue because of that.

For nearly a century, Gaius had tried to change Sirius' mind. They had been close friends at one time, and he would be lying if he said that the dark attractiveness of Sirius himself wasn't part of the lure of becoming a werewolf. Yet it hadn't taken long for Gaius to see beneath the surface to how obsessed Sirius truly was, and for that reason, Gaius had backed away, remaining friends with the older werewolf but never crossing the line into becoming his lover. Sirius had been put out for a time, but it wasn't as though he lacked for partners. Gaius, however, had remained alone, particularly after his single, disastrous dominance battle. At times, he had missed having someone to hold, someone who desired him, but he wasn't a man who could easily compromise his standards. Even as much as he physically desired Regulus, he wouldn't accept Regulus as a lover if they couldn't first achieve a mutual liking and respect.

Shaking his head, Gaius wondered how it was that the Black brothers could manage to so easily shake his inner serenity. He considered going down to the gym again to work off his agitation, but then another thought occurred to him. He could go talk to Sirius and try again to change his mind. He knew that Sirius had some regard for him - or at least he had at one point - and perhaps without Regulus there, Gaius could reach him and make him see the futility of continuing the war. It was a long shot, but at least he'd feel as if he were doing something constructive, rather than running on a gerbil wheel to nowhere. He could always do that afterward, to work off what would no doubt be an even greater case of frustration once Sirius sent him packing.

He made his way back down to the cell block, smiling at the young guard on duty as he was allowed through. Approaching Sirius' cell, he could see the bigger werewolf within, lying on the narrow bed within and staring up at the ceiling. 

"Sirius?" Gaius said quietly. "Would you talk to me?"

"Why should I?" Sirius asked, his tone bitter, and he didn't look in Gaius' direction. "You're a traitor to your kind. You betrayed not only me, but all of us - your _pack_."

"I'm trying to _save_ the pack," Gaius replied quietly. 

"Right. You're saving the pack by panting after my _brother_ like a bitch in heat!" Sirius sat up, fixing Gaius with a feral stare that made Gaius' lupine side bristle. "Do tell."

"I am." Gaius clamped down on an angry retort, keeping his tone as level and calm as he could. "Regulus and Severus both are key to all of our survival. We need each other, vampires and werewolves. You _know_ it's the truth! James told you over and over again, but you never listened!"

"Because James was wrong!" Sirius was on his feet, stalking toward the bars of the cell, and Gaius couldn't help but take a step backward. Sirius smirked a bit at Gaius' reaction. "James was my friend, but he was weak, and all he could think of was having lost Lily and his child. That's what happens when you try to mix the bloodlines. It can never work! That damned Lupin is a abomination!"

"You sound like Voldemort." Gaius' tone was flat, and he felt all hope of changing Sirius' mind fade away. He wasn't even angry any more; it was like arguing with a brick wall, and he had the feeling that keeping Sirius locked up forever was going to be the only way to deal with him. Imprisonment was more or less torture for a werewolf, but it didn't seem that there was any other recourse. "I'm sorry I wasted your time and mine."

He turned to go, but then he heard Sirius sigh. "I'm sorry too," Sirius murmured, and Gaius turned, wondering if he'd been too hasty. Sirius was the _Alpha_ , and Alphas simply did not apologize to _anyone_. 

Eyes wide, Gaius unconsciously stepped closer, dark eyes searching Sirius' face. "You are?" he asked, not certain he'd heard correctly.

"Yes." Sirius' expression had changed, becoming pensive, something Gaius had never seen from him before. He stepped up to the bars and clutched them tightly. "I didn't want it to be like this for us. When I brought you into the pack, I thought we could be more than friends."

Gaius flushed. "I know," he replied, biting his lip and looking down, unwilling to meet Sirius' eyes, which suddenly looked more like Regulus' than Gaius would have believed possible. He was also uncomfortable, since once upon a time, he'd thought about being Sirius' lover as well, but his feelings had changed. If he were to be honest, it wasn't just the fact that he'd found Sirius less appealing after he'd been bitten; it was about that time that he'd first seen the portrait of Regulus, too, and he'd felt the illogical attraction to a man he'd never met and never believed likely he _would_ meet. "I'm sorry about that, but it wouldn't have worked, you know that. We're too different, you and I."

"Are we? Are we really?" Sirius' voice was low and husky. "I could have forced you, but I didn't. I respected your choice, didn't I? I treated you as a friend. But you know I never stopped wanting you. At any time, you could have turned to me, and I would have been glad to accept you."

Gaius shivered. He didn't want to hear these words from Sirius; he wanted to hear them from Regulus, and likely he never would. But he suddenly had a great deal more sympathy for Sirius. After all, wasn't Regulus treating him with the same friendliness with which he'd treated Sirius? Was he, too, doomed to long forever for someone who would never want him?

Raising his gaze at last, Gaius swallowed hard as he met Sirius' eyes. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"Please... just let me touch you," Sirius asked, reaching out a hand toward Gaius. "Is that so much to ask? I know we don't feel the same way about the vampires or the war, but that hasn't changed how I feel about you."

It would have taken a much harder man than Gaius to refuse that plea, especially accompanied by the look in Sirius' pale eyes, which were so like his brother's. Perhaps there was a bit of his bond to Regulus acting as well, for the brothers shared blood, and Gaius knew that Regulus wanted to make peace with Sirius if he possibly could. Whatever the reason, he stepped closer, holding out a hand to touch Sirius' gently. 

"I don't feel the same way, I'm sorry," he replied, shaking his head sadly. "I'm in love with your brother; I think I've been half in love with him for a century."

Sirius' fingers were on his, and then in the blink of an eye, his expression changed from appealing to angry. His fingers clamped down on Gaius' hand, and Gaius found himself yanked against the bars of the cell, cold metal pressing into his face as Sirius' nails dug into the flesh of his hand.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sirius said, staring into Gaius' eyes from only inches away. The grey had darkened, becoming something turbulent and ugly, and Gaius wondered how someone who had once been a friend could have changed so much. "But there's really only one thing to do about it. If I can't have you, neither can he. He's always taken what I wanted, and that is going to end."

Icy fingers of dread ran down Gaius' spine, and he heard a shout from behind him as the young guard came running down the corridor, apparently having seen Sirius' actions. Sirius' free hand came through the bars, taking Gaius by the throat and lifting him up. Then his eyes moved to the guard, and he gave a feral smile. "Let me go, and I'll release him," he said reasonably, and Gaius heard the guard's steps hesitate.

If he could have spoken, he would have told the guard to just shoot them both, but all that escaped from his mouth was a strangled moan. Staring down at Sirius, barely able to breathe, Gaius knew with dreadful certainty that no matter what happened with the guard, Sirius was going to make good on his threat. Sirius was going to kill him.

As lack of oxygen caused his vision to fade to black, Gaius spared a final thought for Regulus. He hoped that his death wouldn't cause Regulus too much pain, and he wished with all his heart that someday Regulus might find find true happiness in the arms of someone he could love as much as Gaius had loved him.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	9. Chapter 9

When Regulus awoke, he bolted upright with a gasp, his heart pounding and all his fighting instincts on high alert. Something was wrong, and he fought down his growing agitation as he tried to figure out what it was. 

And then he realized the something-wrong was the bond he shared with Gaius. Weak, thready, barely there. He could scarcely feel Gaius' presence along it any longer, and if it hadn't been for the faint hint he _did_ feel, he would have wondered if Gaius had found a way to break it. No, it wasn't gone, just badly damaged, and Regulus was filled with the certainty that it meant Gaius was in danger. 

He didn't stop to think about the logistics of what might have happened or how; he simply flung back the covers and bounded out of bed, not even sparing a moment to change clothes. If Gaius was injured, then every second might count, and Regulus only paused long enough to grab Vera before nearly tearing the door of the suite off its hinges on his way out. 

Letting the tattered remnants of the bond guide him, he sprinted down the stairs and along the corridors, sickened with apprehension when he realized it was leading him to the cell block. He was vaguely aware of commotion in the castle, but he didn't stop to ask questions; suspicions were forming in his mind, but he didn't care about what was happening anywhere else, only about what had happened to Gaius. 

As he headed toward the lower level, he passed a phalanx of guards who also seemed in a hurry, and he collared one of them, yanking him away from his companions. "I need a medic," he said, and the guard shot him a puzzled look. "Not for _me_. Gaius, the other werewolf, is injured, possibly dying."

"Where is he?" the guard asked, instantly on the alert at the news.

"I don't know," Regulus replied grimly. "But I'm going to find out."

The guard barked orders into a walkie-talkie as Regulus began to move again, and they were soon joined by a team of men and women in white coats, who puffed to keep up as they jogged along the corridors behind Regulus, who didn't look back or slow down; he kept going, and as he'd feared, the trail led him straight to the cell block. _Sirius_.

He stopped abruptly, unwilling to lead non-combatants into a potentially dangerous situation. "You'd better call for reinforcements," he told the guard, a craggy-faced veteran with the name 'Sawyer' on his uniform. "There might be trouble with the prisoner."

Having to stop and wait for back-up was frustrating when every minute - every second - might be vital, but at last, a squadron of well-armed, well-armored soldiers arrived. They moved slowly, alert for any sign of movement, but the cell block was quiet, which Regulus thought was problematic in and of itself. Then he discovered why it was so quiet: the guard was unconscious, a broken doll splayed in a pool of his own blood, barely breathing. The blood had darkened and dried enough to let Regulus know they couldn't have prevented the man's injury had they arrived sooner, which was one small comfort.

The door leading to the cells stood open, and even as he and the soldiers moved with swift, silent efficiency to scout the area, he knew what they were going to find. Sirius was gone, and Gaius lay in a crumpled heap in the corridor outside Sirius' now-empty cell, battered and bloody - but alive.

Tucking his gun into the waistband of his pants, Regulus knelt by Gaius' side and reached out, checking for a pulse with shaking fingers. To his relief, he found it - faint and weak, but _there_. "Medic!" he shouted over his shoulder before turning his attention back to Gaius. "Hang on, puppy. You're safe now," he murmured, touching Gaius' cheek gently, which was all he dared risk for fear of injuring Gaius further. 

Surprisingly, one of Gaius' eyes opened, and he blinked, seeming to have trouble focusing on Regulus' face. The other eye was swollen shut, the flesh around it already purple where it could be seen beneath the streaks of blood. "Hurts," he murmured. Then he made a weak attempt to smile. "You came."

"Of course I came." Regulus carefully smoothed a lock of hair back from Gaius' face, worry warring with anger within him. He had to quell a surge of possessive fury that urged him to track down Sirius himself and pay him back for hurting Gaius, but no doubt Sirius was long gone, and Gaius needed him here and now. "I've sent for help. They're going to make it stop hurting, I promise." 

Gaius nodded, then winced, clenching his eye shut. He was bruised and battered, and from the odd position of his legs, it was obvious they were broken. His breathing was liquid sounding, and it appeared that Sirius had done his best to kill him. After a moment, Gaius opened his eye again. "He... tricked me," he said. Regulus felt Gaius' remorse along the bond, along with a good bit of sadness mixed with a sense of betrayal. 

"It's not your fault." Regulus bent and brushed his lips against Gaius' forehead, silently offering both forgiveness and benediction. "He's ruthless, and nothing matters when it comes to getting what he wants. I don't blame you for whatever happened. I blame him." 

The emotion along the bond changed to relief, and Gaius sighed. "Tried... to help," he said, then he slipped into unconsciousness, apparently worn out by his attempts to communicate. Fortunately the medics were efficient, some stopping to help the injured guard while the others moved to Gaius. Regulus was urged back while the medics did an assessment, and Regulus heard them muttering about broken bones, a concussion, and internal injuries. A medic with a stretcher approached, and Gaius was lifted by a team of four, awakened by the pain to cry out in agony even though it was obvious they were trying to be gentle. 

"We have to get him to the infirmary right now," one of the medics said to Regulus, and then the team was retreating back the way they'd come, surprisingly smooth for the restrained haste of their steps.

Regulus followed quickly; he knew part of his fretfulness stemmed from the bond, weak as it was, but whatever the cause, he couldn't bear the thought of letting Gaius out of his sight, even for a moment. The trip to the hospital ward seemed interminable, but he was relieved to spot Remus once they got inside. Remus was focused on binding a young guard's wounded arm, but he glanced up as soon as he heard Regulus call out his name, and his expression shifted from curiosity to alarm when he spotted Gaius on the stretcher. 

"Take him back," Remus instructed the stretcher bearers, pointing to a set of double doors on the far side of the room, but he placed his hand on Regulus' chest to stop him from following. "You'll have to stay out here," he said gently. "I'm sorry, but we can't have you in the way. I'll take care of him myself, all right?" 

"But..." Regulus stared at the doors forlornly, not knowing how to explain how he felt and what he wanted - no, needed - but Remus' sympathetic gaze said he understood. 

"I know, but as difficult as it is to be stuck out here, it's better for Gaius. I'll make sure you're kept up to date with what's going on, and you can see him as soon as possible, I promise." 

Reluctantly, Regulus nodded, and he went to find an empty seat and sat down heavily as Remus disappeared behind the drab grey double doors as well. He had a long wait ahead of him, and there weren't even any magazines, but he wasn't about to move long enough to fetch something to pass the time with or to get dressed, no matter how many odd looks he got for sitting there in his pajamas. 

People were coming and going, and it wasn't too long after he sat down that Severus strode in, not only wearing a weapon on his hip but also dressed in body armor. He spotted Regulus and went to join him at once, sitting down on a seat across from him. "I heard Gaius was injured," Severus said, and he shook his head, his expression grim. "I'm sorry. He wasn't the only one, though. Your brother almost managed to get out without being spotted, but he ran afoul of Locke and some of his men, and it became a fire fight. We only just gave up the pursuit, and we weren't aware there were injuries in the cell block, or we would have gotten there sooner."

"Sirius nearly killed Gaius," Regulus stated flatly. "And I think he might have bitten the guard in the cell block," he added, remembering the man's mangled shoulder. "If the guard lives, I'd suggest having a talk with him and letting him know what to expect. Maybe Remus could help him, since he knows more about werewolf transformations than we do, and Gaius might not..." He trailed off and shook his head, awash in worry anew. 

"Remus will do his best," Severus said. He didn't try to sugar coat anything, but he reached out to touch one of Regulus' hands in a gesture of support and sympathy. "I know what you're going through. But Gaius is getting the best care possible, and the infirmary is extremely well equipped. Not to mention that Godric's medics know more about werewolf physiology than the werewolves do."

"They'd better. Sirius left a hell of a mess," Regulus said bleakly. "The bond was almost broken when I woke up tonight." 

Severus raised a brow at that. "Not that long ago you would have been ecstatic to have it broken. Then you seemed resigned to it. I take it things are different now?"

"Well, it helped save Gaius' life," Regulus pointed out with his usual pragmatism. "If I hadn't been able to use it to find him, he would have died alone down there before anyone even realized he was missing." But he knew Severus wouldn't allow him to get away with avoiding the question, and he shrugged slightly before admitting, "But yes, things are different now." 

"I see." There was no gloating in Severus' voice, not even a hint of satisfaction or smugness; he simply made the observation, accepting Regulus' words as apparently being explanation enough. "In that case, I'm even more certain he'll recover. It helps to have something to live for when things are at their worst, so I suspect he'll fight tooth and nail to survive."

"I hope so," Regulus said softly. As difficult as it was for him to believe, the bond he had once hated was no longer unwelcome, and he could scarcely imagine returning to a life where he didn't feel another presence in the back of his mind. Gaius had gone from being an enemy to a nuisance to a friend. Regulus _liked_ him and didn't want to lose him, not when they had become close and Regulus felt as if he had a friend again after Severus began focusing on Remus to the exclusion of almost all else.

"I'm sure of it," Severus said firmly. He stood up and gestured for Regulus to come with him. "It's ridiculous for you to mope out here. There's a gallery that looks into the surgery, and it's not like you're squeamish about blood." His tone was dry. "Remus might fuss, but you need to see Gaius, so see him you shall."

Regulus leaped to his feet, gazing at Severus hopefully. "Remus said I should stay out here," he said. "Can you guarantee my safety if I disobey the doctor's orders?"

Severus raised a brow, his lips quirking. "I think I can offer the doctor something that will take his mind off his irritation with you," he said as he led Regulus toward the double doors. He pushed them aside, striding into the chamber beyond as though he owned the place. An orderly looked up, seeming about to say something, but Severus blew past him without noticing. It was obvious Severus had been here before, no doubt visiting Remus, and he made his way to a large glass window that overlooked an operating theater.

Beyond the glass was a frenzy of activity, and the white gowns of the medical crew were stained crimson with blood. Gaius was barely visible on the table, only the curling tendrils of his dark hair trailing over the edge of the table giving positive identification. Regulus peered down anxiously and flattened his palms against the glass, sending reassurance along the bond in hopes he could reach Gaius that way, despite it being only one-sided. For an instant, he wished it _was_ mutual, as mad as it seemed, so he could offer something to Gaius that might mean the difference between life and death. As it was, he could only hope his comfort reached across the gap. 

"Werewolves are tough," Severus said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Remember how often we lamented what difficult bastards they were to kill? I'm certainly glad of that now, and you should be, too." Severus placed his other hand on the glass, trying to capture Remus' attention for a moment and lifting a brow in silent inquiry.

As if tugged by an invisible string, Remus looked up and shot Severus a look of fond exasperation when he saw the two of them standing there, but he offered a reassuring smile and a thumbs-up, and Regulus had to keep himself from sagging against the glass pane in relief. He smiled his thanks, and Remus nodded and turned his attention back to Gaius, his intense focus returning instantly. 

"So far, so good, I suppose," Regulus said, letting himself move away from the glass and take a seat at last. 

He caught a glimpse of Severus' private smile at Remus, and then his friend sat down beside him. "So it seems," Severus replied. "If you want to be distracted for a bit, why don't we try to figure out the possible repercussions of Sirius returning to his pack? Any thoughts? Should we expect an attack now that he knows where we are?"

"Yes, we should," Regulus said flatly. "I tried to talk to him recently, but he was resistant to the idea of ending the war. He's determined to keep it going, so I have no doubt he'll return to his lair and rally the pack. The real question is how long we have before he makes his move." 

"I had plans for ramping up the castle defenses. I suppose I'll put them on the fast track now," Severus replied. "Godric did a good job, but to a certain extent, he relied on the obscurity of this place. I'm going to need you even more in the short term; we'll need to put in large scale defenses to repel a mass assault, and I want to see about the practicality of booby traps even further out. What do you think about liquid silver grenades? Or some other application of that technology? I know we don't really want to kill them anymore, but if killing is the only way to keep us safe, I will do it without hesitation. The numbers just don't support us taking the noble route."

"Unfortunately, no." Regulus sighed and slumped in his chair, scrubbing his face with both hands as his mind leaped ahead to thinking about possibilities for defending the castle. "Liquid silver grenades. Landmines. I think we could cobble some of those together before Sirius gets back. If all else fails, we could resort to classic methods: catapults loaded with silver rocks or cauldrons of boiling liquid silver to pour over the turrets," he added with a wry smile. 

Severus snorted. "Don't think I would hesitate to use any means necessary to defend us from them. This war _will_ end, one way or another. We've offered peace, and if they won't take it, then we'll have to get more creative." He gestured with his chin toward the window. "If we have to start over with just us four, I'm fine with that. I do wish there was a way to talk to the other werewolves without Sirius there to influence them. It seems that as much as the war used to be about Voldemort and James, it's now about you and your brother. I can't believe that every werewolf is going to blindly follow along with Sirius' vendetta."

"The difference is, I don't want to fight Sirius," Regulus replied. "I don't want to kill him, and I don't want him to die. After some things I've realized lately, I can't bring myself to keep hating him - although I'm willing to beat the hell out of him in repayment for _that_." He nodded to the window. "But I won't be the one who keeps the war going." 

"You don't have to fight him," Severus said, lifting a hand to rub his forehead. "I'd like nothing more than for the lot of them to piss off. Peace doesn't mean that we have to become best friends necessarily, although I do think there are mutual advantages if they would be willing to just listen to reason. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to wonder if we've ended up with the only two rational werewolves in existence."

"If Sirius wasn't the Alpha, we'd have an easier time of it," Regulus mused. "The others might want to end the war, but as long as he's in charge and directing them to keep fighting, that's what they'll do. There might be other rational werewolves who don't have a voice in the decision-making, but Sirius is definitely not rational. Not when it comes to this. Gaius said he seems to have a driving need to win, and I'm beginning to agree."

"So all we have to do is remove him as Alpha." Severus sighed. "And neither of us is about to risk the werewolves we... care about to do that. So our choices are to change his mind or kill him and hope that the next werewolf in line is more reasonable. Not a wide selection, is it?"

"No." Regulus sighed and rubbed his forehead wearily. "But maybe a third option will present itself. I don't want him to die because he was stupid and stubborn. There has been enough death, and he's still my brother." He straightened and turned his attention back to the glass. "But I'll start drawing up plans for the mines and grenades soon. As soon as I'm sure Gaius is going to be all right." 

"We can wait that long," Severus said softly. "I don't know how long it will be, but I'll stay, if you'd like. I know that... if it were Remus, I'd want someone with me. I don't think I'd ever want to face that alone."

"You wouldn't have to," Regulus replied, glancing at Severus and giving him a half-smile. "Anyway, yes, I'd like you to stay." He raised one eyebrow, amused as a thought occurred to him. "Of course, staying here lets you keep an eye on Remus, too, conveniently enough." 

"There is that," Severus said casually, leaning back in his seat and extending his long legs out in front of him. "But Remus isn't the one I'm worried about at the moment. I can feel that he's all right. You matter too, you know." He gave Regulus a half smile and an apologetic look. "I suspect you think I've had nothing but Remus on my mind, and while I admit he's never _out_ of my thoughts, there's been more going on, too, while you've been down in the armory. Godric left an amazing amount of things, and I've been trying to get a handle on what is useful and what isn't. I've also been poring over the blueprints for this place. The mansion we lived in for centuries would have been swallowed up unnoticed by this place. I think Godric has been here from the beginning, and he's been adding on to the place for close to a thousand years. It wasn't small to begin with, either - a real medieval fortress built to guard this section of the coast."

"I _have_ thought that," Regulus replied, although he spoke the words matter-of-factly, not with recrimination. "But I'm glad to know I was wrong. Perhaps I should have a look at those blueprints, too," he suggested. "If the foundation is a fortress, then we're in a good position to defend ourselves, but there may be areas that need fortification or could be used in offensive measures, too. As much as I'd like to say we could dig in and wait them out, that becomes a lot more difficult when you're talking about a stubborn, bullheaded immortal." 

Severus gave a snort, one that seemed to combine amusement and disgust at Regulus' observation about Sirius. "I'd welcome your input," he said. "We should all talk together, actually. Remus is taking on the infirmary, of course, but we'll undoubtedly need more supplies if we're going to be under siege, and Locke can help us decide what to provide for the mortals. It's been too long since I was one, so I've no doubt forgotten some of the basic needs they take for granted. And while your brother may be stubborn and bullheaded, he isn't in a fight for survival, while we are. If we can't out-wait him, perhaps we can think of a distraction or something that will make it worth his while not to mess with us."

"I'll give it some thought," Regulus said, absently glancing at the window again, although he didn't know enough about what he was seeing to tell if things were still going well or not. "The problem is that I don't know Sirius well enough to speculate what might work. Gaius knows him better than I do." 

"Well, we'll have to ask Gaius when Remus says he's ready," Severus replied. He was quiet for a moment, as though catching Regulus' worry. "If it's any consolation, Remus doesn't feel worried or upset. He's focused, but I'm not feeling anything from him that would indicate Gaius is in trouble."

"Really?" Regulus shot him a look full of gratitude and relief at the reassuring news. "Good, because I can't sense much of anything at all from Gaius. I don't know if it's because he's unconscious or because the bond isn't mutual. Either way, I'm in the dark." He gnawed on his bottom lip as he gazed down into the operating room below. "I've been giving him lessons because he needs to know how to defend himself, but he wasn't anywhere near ready to take on someone like Sirius - and Sirius _knows_ that! Bastard." He scowled, anger at his brother rising anew within him. "He probably did it for sheer spite to get back at me, just like he probably bit that guard to turn him out of spite." 

Severus inclined his head to acknowledge Regulus' gratitude, then stared off toward the window with a scowl. "Probably." Severus' tone was sour. "We have security tapes of the area; we'll have to review them to see exactly what happened, but it's obvious Gaius was no threat to stopping Sirius' escape. To beat him almost to death was a vindictive act, as was turning the guard. Your brother needs a to be taught a few lessons."

"Agreed," Regulus said grimly, his scowl deepening. "Gaius said he was trying to help and that Sirius tricked him, but I don't know what that means. He could barely talk. I'm sure he didn't open Sirius' cell, though," he added quickly, before Severus could speculate about whether Gaius had set Sirius free. "He isn't stupid, just too trusting. I'll be interested to know what the tapes reveal." 

"We'll get to that tonight, I assure you," Severus said, then suddenly sat up straight, his eyes moving to the door. "Remus is coming. You should have your answers soon."

Looking down, Regulus watched as Gaius was wheeled out of the operating room and some of the masked humans began cleaning up, and he sat up straight, flicking his gaze to the door, eagerly awaiting Remus' arrival. 

A minute or two later, Remus walked in with his surgical mask still around his neck and his hair tousled from the surgical cap; he'd taken off his scrubs, however, so there was no visible evidence that he'd just been in surgery, only a faint antiseptic scent clinging to his clothes. As soon as he walked in, he shook his head sternly and wagged his finger at the two vampires. 

"I thought I said you ought to wait outside," he admonished Regulus. "The reason I didn't want you to watch is that I didn't know if we'd be able to save him. If things had gone wrong, you'd have seen it, and that's not a memory I'd wish on anyone."

"Was it that bad?" Regulus asked, his pale eyes widened in alarm. 

"It's a miracle he survived," Remus replied matter-of-factly. "I'll tell you that _now_ since he's stable, but when he was first brought in..." He shook his head again. "I really don't know how he made it unless werewolves are even sturdier than I thought. He's not completely out of the woods, mind you. The next twenty-four hours are crucial, but I'm optimistic at this point. We just need to keep him stable and under close observation until his own healing system kicks in strong." 

Regulus nodded, most of his worries alleviated by the news, but he knew he wouldn't be fully at ease until he could sense Gaius more clearly along the bond. 

Severus rose, placing his hands on Remus' shoulders and leaning forward to kiss him briefly. "I had faith that you'd do it," he said. "I think Regulus needed to see, and I understand why because I'd feel the same way if you were injured. The only thing worse than being there if the worst happens is not being there."

Smiling, Remus leaned in to meet Severus halfway for the kiss. "I suppose so. I'm accustomed to keeping... ah, interested parties," he said, glancing at Regulus, "away from the action. Most people can't handle it and don't want to see someone they care about cut open and bleeding. I should have known vampires have a different take on it."

"Oddly enough, blood doesn't tend to bother us. Imagine that," Severus drawled. He looked at Regulus and gave a small smile. "Feeling better about it all now? Your furball will be fine. I can't imagine that he'd dare die with Remus hovering over him."

"Of course not," Remus replied, sliding one arm around Severus' waist and nestled against his side. 

"I'd like to see him," Regulus said, looking at Remus hopefully. 

"He's still unconscious, and he probably won't wake up before sunrise," Remus said. "But if you want to take a peek, you may. Just make it quick, all right?"

"I will," Regulus promised, nodding fervently. "I said I'd help Severus with some things, anyway, but if he _does_ wake up, I want to know right away." 

"Of course." Remus' voice was soothing as he turned and led the way to post-op.

Severus accompanied them, although he kept out of the way. Gaius was pale and still, the bruises standing out on his skin like splashes of garish paint. He barely seemed to be breathing, but the steady, reassuring beep of a heart monitor showed that he still lived. Remus hung back as well, remaining by Severus' side and giving Regulus some space. 

Regulus stopped beside Gaius' bed and peered down at him, scarcely daring to touch him as fragile as he appeared. "Rest and heal, puppy," he murmured, stroking the back of Gaius' hand lightly. "I still need my assistant, and you have to help us knock some sense into Sirius." 

Surprisingly, there was a reaction. Gaius didn't wake, but when Regulus touched Gaius' hand and spoke to him, the bond seemed to strengthen, and Regulus could sense Gaius there, sleeping but definitely present. Reassured, he squeezed Gaius' hand carefully, hoping the contact would help on some level, even if Gaius wasn't consciously aware of his presence. 

"I'll be back to see you before sunrise," he promised before turning away at last and returning to Severus and Remus. "All right, let's get to work. We've got a werewolf barricade to build." 

Severus nodded. "That we do," he said, and then he looked at Remus. "I assume you'll be busy here for a while? If not, you're welcome to join us in the office. Sirius' escape means we need to speed up the defensive modifications."

"I do need to finish up some things here, but I'll join you after that," Remus replied, craning up to brush a kiss to Severus' cheek. "It shouldn't take long." 

"Shouldn't you stay here to make sure Gaius is all right?" Regulus asked, regarding him with alarm. "What if he has a relapse?"

"I've got a pager," Remus assured him. "At the first sign of trouble, they'll let me know."

"All right, then," Regulus said, albeit reluctantly, and Remus chuckled. 

"And I thought _you_ were bad," Remus said, glancing up at Severus. 

Severus hugged Remus, bending his head to steal a more intimate kiss before releasing him and stepping back, his expression unrepentant. "You're the worst hoverer of the lot of us, so I'll remind you of the saying about those in glass houses," he drawled. Turning to Regulus, he put a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the door, glancing back at Remus over his shoulder. "Don't take too long, or we'll plot the end of the world without you."

"Heaven forbid!" Remus grinned and waved at them before snagging Gaius' chart off the end of the bed and beginning his update. 

Regulus took one last backward look before letting Severus lead him away; he couldn't do anything for Gaius, but he _could_ contribute to the defense of the castle, and now more than ever, he needed something to help distract himself from fretting and brooding. That wouldn't do anyone any good, and if nothing else, he could make damned sure Sirius never got near Gaius again.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	10. Chapter 10

Gaius was floating in a warm, pleasant darkness.

It felt good, and he didn't want to leave it. There was some reason he thought he shouldn't, some reason to cling to oblivion, but he couldn't remember what it was. He wasn't aware of much of anything except the beating of his own heart and the faint tendril of connection to Regulus' unconscious mind.

The steady beat seemed to be echoed by another, a low beeping that impinged on his drowsiness, beckoning him up from the darkness. He struggled against it, but it seemed that the harder he fought to stay where he was, the faster he was pulled back toward the waking world. More sounds began to intrude, along with an awareness of his body, of several things _wrong_ without being painful. It was enough to cause him to open his eyes, blinking in surprise at the brightness of the room and the antiseptic tang to the air.

Turning his head, he saw the heart monitor and other machinery by the bed he was lying on, and it all began to flood back to him: Sirius, the attack, the horrible pain and despair when he thought he was going to die. Then Regulus had been there, and Remus, and he remembered crying out before the blackness had taken him.

His heartbeat sped up, and the beeping grew louder and more rapid, and there was a sound of hurrying feet coming toward him.

"Gaius?" He heard Remus' voice, soft and tinged with concern, and he felt a gentle touch on his hand. "Shh, it's all right. Sirius is gone, and you're in the hospital wing. You're safe now."

Gaius blinked, trying to focus on the face hovering above him, and then his vision cleared, although he realized that one eye must be swollen shut. But Remus was there, and Gaius drew in a deep breath. "How long?" he asked, his throat feeling raw and dry. 

"You've been out about twenty-four hours," Remus replied, clasping his hand and squeezing it carefully. "It'll be sunset shortly. Regulus found you after he woke up last night, and his quick actions saved your life. Sirius really worked you over, but the worst is past. You just need to rest and let your natural healing ability to its job."

"Thought I was going to die," Gaius rasped, holding on to Remus' hand and taking comfort from the contact. "He wanted to kill me." He frowned and shivered. "Want Regulus..."

"He'll be here soon, I'm sure." Remus squeezed his hand again and smiled reassuringly. "He nearly drove the staff crazy last night, asking for updates on your condition. I don't doubt he'll be here as soon as he wakes up. Hopefully, he'll take time to get dressed first tonight," he added, amusement lacing his voice.

Remus had a soothing way about him, and Gaius managed a small smile of appreciation. He didn't actually hurt, and while he felt weak, his mind was slowly clearing, the panicked memory of the beating receding. "He could come in here naked for all of me," he murmured. "Er... could I have some water?"

"Of course." Remus released his hand and picked up a pitcher on a nearby rolling table, pouring a glass of chilled water into a small plastic cup. He dropped a flexible straw into the cup and positioned it so Gaius wouldn't have to exert himself to take a sip. "Here you go. Not too much. I don't want you to get sick."

Gaius licked his lips in anticipation as Remus poured the water, his thirst seeming to mount as he waited. Then the straw was between his lips, and he sipped carefully, the blessed coolness feeling like heaven as it slid down his throat. He wanted more, wanted to gulp it down, but he was mindful of Remus' warning, and after a moment, he released the straw with a sigh. "Thanks," he said, his voice sounding smoother. "I feel parched."

"You can keep sipping water," Remus replied as he placed the cup back on the table. "Just don't gulp it. It won't sit well on an empty stomach." He patted Gaius' arm, offering him another smile. "You'll need to stay here at least another twenty-four hours. After that, we'll see if you're doing well enough to be released."

"Another day?" Gaius asked, chagrined. He'd never been badly hurt before, and werewolves healed with amazing swiftness, so it was a testament to how serious his injuries had been that he'd been out for a solid day and Remus was confining him for second. "But... Sirius! He's gone, and we need to get ready in case he attacks!"

"Don't worry," Remus said, stroking his arm soothingly. "Severus and Regulus have already been making plans. They're working with the humans to beef up the defenses and prepare for Sirius' return."

"Oh... of course," Gaius replied, flushing slightly as he realized that of course things hadn't stopped just because he'd not been there. "Er... sorry. I'm not used to being a patient. What... what am I supposed to do?"

"You're supposed to lie there, do exactly what Remus tells you to do, and be a good puppy." A new voice entered the conversation, and Gaius glanced up to see Regulus standing in the doorway. He was dressed casually - for Regulus - in black trousers and a charcoal grey pullover, and despite the sternness of his tone, he appeared pleased to see Gaius awake.

Startled, Gaius smiled widely, enjoying the sight of Regulus, who looked even more beautiful to him than ever. "I didn't feel you coming, but I'm glad you're here - and thanks for saving my life," he said. He suddenly felt giddy, wanting to jump out of the bed and fling his arms around Regulus, only the fact that he was wired up to half the hardware in the room stopping him. He shot a sidelong glance at Remus. "You have me doped up on a bunch of stuff, don't you?"

"I do, yes," Remus replied calmly, seeming unrepentant. "Believe me, you don't want to feel much of anything until you've healed more."

Meanwhile, Regulus moved to stand beside Gaius' bed, and he clasped Gaius' hand, squeezing it carefully. "How do you feel?" he asked, searching Gaius' battered face with visible concern. "You had us worried, you know."

Gaius returned the pressure of Regulus' hand, reassured that he felt the bond more strongly when Regulus touched him. Apparently the drugs Remus had him on interfered with the bond as well as making him want to do absolutely crazy things. "I'm all right, as far as I know," he replied, and then he shuddered. "I didn't mean to worry you. Things got... a little out of hand."

Remus murmured a farewell and made a discreet exit while Regulus pulled up a chair and settled in, twining his fingers with Gaius'. "I know," he said soothingly. "Severus and I reviewed the tapes from the security camera. There wasn't any audio, of course, but it was easy enough to figure out what happened. It wasn't your fault. Sirius knows you're trusting, and he used that to his benefit."

"I shouldn't have trusted him," Gaius replied softly, feeling remorse for Sirius having gotten the better of him. He was touched that Regulus was there and being so wonderful to him after he'd messed up and been the means by which Sirius had escaped. "I guess I wanted to believe that he really was sorry, that he felt regret for everything that had happened. He lied... he was being so sincere, and I stepped too close, and he had me before I knew what was happening. I should have told you what I was doing, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to talk to him, and I wanted to do it while you were asleep so that you wouldn't get the backlash if I got upset with him. Which I expected to do."

"Yes, you should have told me, or Severus, or even Remus," Regulus agreed, his expression turning stern. "It was a foolish thing to do, but I understand you well enough to know you had good intentions. Your only fault was in trusting him too much. It would have been better if he hadn't escaped, but he did, and we have to deal with things as they are. The good news is, we're in an excellent defensive position, and I've been working on some nasty surprises."

"I'm sorry," Gaius replied, ducking his head and dropping his gaze. He knew Regulus wasn't angry, and it made him feel warm to realize that Regulus really did care about him. That made him feel worse for doing something Regulus disapproved of, but he hoped they could get past it. "I'm sorry you're having to clean up the mess I made. I thought he was going to kill me through the bars, but then the guard..." He broke off, his eyes widening. "How is the guard? Is he all right? Sirius... he didn't kill him, did he?"

"No, he's still alive, but he was bitten," Regulus replied matter-of-factly. "If you want to make amends, you can help him adjust once you're up to it. Right now, however, your only job is to lie still and rest. Got it?"

"I'll help him, definitely." Gaius felt a surge of remorse and sympathy for the young guard, and he silently promised that he'd do everything he could to make things as easy as possible for the young man. He gave Regulus a lopsided smile. "Can I at least lie still and rest in our suite, rather than here? I'll feel much better if I'm close to where you are. I think... I think the bond is what saved me. I was so sure I was going to die, but I held on to the thread that connects us, and it kept me from losing my way."

Regulus looked startled, but then his expression softened, and he reached out with his free hand to smooth Gaius' hair back from his face. "That makes sense," he murmured. "Remus said it was a miracle you survived. If it was the bond that saved your life, then I'm glad for it."

Gaius closed his eyes, leaning into the caress; it soothed him on a deeper level than a purely physical one, and he sighed before opening his eyes again. "You asked before what werewolves got out of the bond... I wonder if it's the ability to connect to their vampire, to maybe draw energy in order to survive. Just as I can give you my blood to sustain you, perhaps there is a deeper level to it as well. If a werewolf was defending a slumbering vampire, it would make sense, to enable him to survive as long as possible."

"Perhaps you're right." Regulus seemed to sense that his touch was helping, and he stroked his fingers through Gaius' hair, radiating a sense of calming comfort along the bond. "I'd hope werewolves would get something out of it. But I don't know if you can leave yet. You're still hooked up to a lot of machinery, and I don't know if Remus is ready to detach you yet. I could stay here with you, though. I've got a cellphone on me, so Severus can get in touch if he needs me."

"You would do that?" Gaius smiled, clinging to Regulus' hand. "I'd like that, but I don't want to take you away from work if you've got things to do."

"I can get what I need and bring it back here," Regulus replied, squeezing Gaius' hand again. "I'm designing a few new toys, but I can hand off the plans for other people to construct them. I'm not needed for any hands-on labor right now, and the armory can wait another day or two."

Gaius was torn; it was obvious that Regulus had a lot to do, but he really wanted to be with Regulus. Yet he had no doubt that if Regulus, the self-proclaimed workaholic, could feel comfortable taking time to be with him, then he must really feel that he could afford to do it without endangering them all. "In that case, and at the risk of seeming very selfish... I'd like that," he said softly. "Even if I'd rather be back tucking you in and telling you stories."

"You can do that when you're feeling better, and the best way for you to start feeling better is to stay still and rest," Regulus said pragmatically. "Maybe for now, I should be telling the stories."

"If you'd like." Gaius grinned. "Especially if you know any stories about handsome vampires defending their werewolves. I think that would be a very good story."

Regulus rolled his eyes, but his smile was indulgent. "I'll see what I can come up with. I don't have the story-telling experience you do, you know, but I'll do my best."

"Really, you just being here is enough," Gaius said, his voice low. He gave Regulus' hand another squeeze. "You don't have to entertain me. As long as you are nearby, I know I'll recover more quickly."

"I'll be here," Regulus assured him, stroking the back of his hand gently. "The most important thing right now is making sure you heal properly, and I'll do whatever it takes to help."

"Thank you," Gaius replied softly. Regulus was being so wonderful to him that he couldn't help but feel a surge of hope that somehow, eventually, their friendship might grow into something more. But he kept such thoughts to himself and smiled instead. "Why don't you go get what you need for your work, then, and come back?" He made a wry gesture at the bed. "I promise I won't go anywhere while you're gone."

"You'd better not," Regulus replied sternly. He rose and bent over to brush a light kiss to Gaius' forehead. "All right, I'll be back as quickly as I can. Would you like me to bring back something for you? I could get a book and read to you later, if you like."

"I'd like that," Gaius replied, reaching up to caress Regulus' cheek briefly. "Anything that interests you will be fine with me." He moved his hand to cover his mouth as he yawned. "I may take a little nap while you're gone. Remus' drugs are good, but they're making me a little sleepy now."

"Good idea." Regulus nodded as he straightened up again. "You need to rest all you can. So you take a nap, and I'll be here when you wake up."

With that, he tucked the covers around Gaius more securely, and then he turned and headed for the door.

Gaius watched him go, a drowsy smile on his lips. "I know you will," he replied, not doubting Regulus' word for a moment. He chuckled quietly. "Enjoy the silence; it might be the only time I'm quiet."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	11. Chapter 11

When he arrived at the hospital ward shortly after sunset the next night, Regulus met Remus coming out of Gaius' room, and he stopped, hoping to learn of Gaius' continued improvement.

"You're just in time!" Remus said cheerfully. "Gaius still needs to take it easy, but I don't think he needs to stay here anymore. I've given him some painkillers to take orally. The directions are on the bottle. They'll make him sleepy, so he shouldn't try to be too active. He can have something to eat if he wants it, but nothing too heavy or spicy to start with. Soup would probably be best. Any questions?"

Regulus listened intently as Remus rattled off the rapid-fire instructions, and then he nodded. "No, no questions for now. I'll make sure he doesn't overdo it."

"I'm sure you will," Remus said. sounding amused. "Oh, by the way, I've got a wheelchair ready for him. Don't let him talk you into letting him walk back to the third floor, all right? It's way too far for him right now, even if he leans on you."

"Got it," Regulus replied, determined to make sure Gaius followed Remus' instructions to the letter.

"I leave him in your capable hands, then," Remus said, smiling. "If you need anything, you know how to get hold of me."

With that, he turned and walked away, and Regulus opened the door to Gaius' room and went in, looking to see if Gaius was ready to go yet.

Gaius glanced up, smiling in welcome as though he had anticipated Regulus' arrival. "I could feel you, this time," he said, affirming that he'd been aware of Regulus along the bond. Although he was sitting on the bed, he was dressed in loose sweatpants and a sweatshirt rather than hospital clothes, and there were slippers on his narrow feet. "I'm so ready to get out of here. Not that Remus and the others haven't been wonderful, but I'm dying for a shower and to sleep in a room where there aren't beeps and bumps all the time."

"Remus said you can leave any time," Regulus replied as he approached the bed and extended his hand to help Gaius up, pleased to see Gaius looking so much better. He was still bruised, but the bruises were already beginning to fade, a good sign that Gaius' innate healing ability had kicked in strong. "There's a wheelchair out in the hall, ready and waiting for you."

"A wheelchair?" Gaius made a face, and Regulus could sense his consternation. "Remus refuses to believe I can actually walk on my own. Really, I'm feeling much better!"

"You may feel better, but that doesn't mean your strength and stamina are back to normal yet," Regulus pointed out. "You don't need to overdo it so soon, and it's a long way back to the suite."

Sighing, Gaius took Regulus' arm and rose. "But I need the exercise, don't I? I've been lying still for nearly two days..." He gave Regulus a piteous look. 

"You don't need _that_ much exercise." Once Gaius was on his feet, Regulus slid one arm around Gaius' waist to steady him. "You can't expect to be back to normal a mere two days after the kind of injuries you sustained. Your body is still healing, and both your legs were broken, remember? You don't need to press your luck."

"I won't, I promise," Gaius replied. He slid an arm around Regulus in turn, leaning against him as they moved toward the door. "See? I'm doing it. If we go slowly, I can make it."

Regulus growled softly and shook his head, not needing the bond to tell him that Gaius was going to be stubborn about getting into the wheelchair, but there were other ways of making certain Gaius got back to the suite without walking. "You don't want to go in the wheelchair? Fine," he said, releasing Gaius, but only long enough to let him scoop Gaius up in his arms and heft him off the ground. "No wheelchair. But you are _not_ walking all the way back," he said firmly, cradling Gaius against his chest as he headed for the door.

Gaius gasped in surprise, flinging his arms around Regulus' neck to steady himself. "Oh!" He seemed about to say more, but he must have sensed Regulus' determination, for he simply flushed and dropped his gaze. "Aren't I too heavy for you? I can ride in the chair and not make a nuisance of myself."

At that, Regulus laughed outright. "Too heavy? Don't be a silly puppy," he replied as he maneuvered out the door and started off down the hall without a trace of self-consciousness. He didn't care what anyone thought; the important thing was making certain Gaius didn't give himself a relapse by trying to do too much too soon. "I can carry you easily enough. Just count yourself lucky I didn't throw you over my shoulder."

Gaius tightened his arms around Regulus' neck, as though afraid Regulus might do just that, but he was smiling and the bond echoed his pleasure. "That might rip my stitches," he murmured, settling in comfortably in Regulus' arms. "I think I'd prefer to be carried like this, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Regulus replied, chuckling quietly. They were on the receiving end of surprised glances, some blended with amusement, but Regulus didn't care; he found he liked taking care of Gaius, and he focused on the task with the same single-minded intensity with which he approached his work. He had come to think of Gaius as _his_ \- his to protect, his to take care of - but the realization didn't frighten him; on the contrary, he'd never had anyone who needed him before, and he rather liked the feeling of being needed and wanted for himself, rather than for his skills.

When they reached the suite, he carried Gaius to the bathroom and set him down on the marbled counter. "You said you wanted to get cleaned up, right? Tell me where you keep your stuff, and I'll get it for you."

Gaius' eyes widened, but he didn't protest. Regulus could sense his anticipation and curiosity, along with what seemed to be a secret kind of glee. "In my bedroom," he replied, tilting his chin toward the doorway. "For my clothes, that is. My shampoo and such should be on the ledge of the bath. Are you going to start the shower for me? If so, I like it rather warm."

"I don't think you ought to take a shower," Regulus replied. "Especially if Remus gave you painkillers before you left. Even if he didn't, you probably shouldn't stand up for very long while your legs are still healing." He paused, trying to think of some incentive to coax Gaius into the tub instead of arguing for taking a shower. "If you take a bath, I'll make sure it's hot and with bubbles - and I'll even wash your hair for you," he added impulsively.

Gaius' jaw dropped almost comically, but he boggled for only a moment before closing it with a snap, then smiling broadly. "I'd like that very much," he said. It was true, Regulus could tell that, not just from the bond but from the way the pink in Gaius' cheeks deepened and his breathing sped up. "Are... are you sure you don't mind? I appreciate you taking care of me very, very much, but I don't want you to think I'm a burden."

Regulus stroked Gaius' flushed cheek with his forefinger and smiled. "If I thought it was a burden, I wouldn't have offered. I want to take care of you. You're mine to take care of, and I like it." It wasn't until the words were out of his mouth that he realized Gaius might not like being spoken of like a possession or a pet, but hopefully he would understand what Regulus meant.

It seemed he did, for there was an intense feeling of acceptance radiating along the bond, and Gaius leaned into the caress, his dark eyes gleaming. "Yes, I'm yours," he murmured huskily. "I'm yours in any way that you desire."

The huskiness in Gaius' voice combined with what he felt along the bond made warmth pool in Regulus' stomach, and it was his turn to flush slightly. "Well, let's start with a hot bath and a shampoo," he said, clearing his throat.

"Sounds heavenly," Gaius replied, his smile taking on a slightly wicked edge. "I think there might even be some bubble bath in the cabinet. This place came well stocked."

"So I noticed," Regulus replied dryly, grateful for the change in topic. He went to the huge tub, plugged it, and turned on the taps, letting it run while he rummaged in the cabinet for bubble bath. He found three different types, and he held up the bottles for Gaius to see. "Do you want lavender, chamomile, or jasmine?" he asked.

Gaius wrinkled his nose thoughtfully. "How about the chamomile? I'd rather smell like tea than a girl," he replied. Then he arched a brow. "Unless you've a preference for what I smell like."

"I think you smell fine the way you are," Regulus replied with utter frankness, before he could think better of it. "Uh..." He caught himself and smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I don't have a preference."

Chuckling, Gaius shrugged. "Then let's go for chamomile," he said, unable to hide his pleasure at Regulus' words. He carefully lowered himself from the counter, then grasped the hem of his sweatshirt and began to pull it over his head. "Er... I might need some help... I'm a little stiff."

Regulus lobbed the bottle of chamomile bubble bath over to the tub and hurried back to Gaius, batting his hands away. "Here, let me," he said, easing the sweatshirt up slowly and carefully. The intimacy of the gesture - such close proximity, undressing him - wasn't lot on him, but he wasn't quite ready to think about _that_ yet. Something told him he would have to think about it soon, however, because things were progressing between them in ways he hadn't expected, but now wasn't the time, if only because Gaius wasn't in any condition to consider it himself. That didn't stop Regulus from feeling a tingle when his fingers brushed against Gaius' warm, bare skin, however.

There was a small sound from Gaius at the contact, too, something between a gasp and a growl, but it definitely was not a noise indicating protest. When the shirt was gone and Gaius was bare chested, it was easier to see the extent of his injuries. There were several long, deep scars, healing with the rapidity of lycanthrope metabolism combined with Remus' skill, but it was quite apparent that Gaius had come close to being ripped apart. His normally bronze skin seemed pale beneath the bruises, and Gaius glanced in the mirror and frowned.

"It looks worse than it feels," he said. "Still, it's not a pretty sight. Hopefully it will be gone in a day or so."

"Poor puppy," Regulus murmured, gazing at Gaius' injuries with sympathy. He reached out and traced one scar lightly, feeling angry at Sirius anew at the evidence of his cruelty. Gaius didn't deserve to be tricked, betrayed, and tortured, especially not by someone who was supposedly a friend. "I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of me and Sirius."

"It's all right," Gaius said, shaking his head with a wry smile. "This is not your fault. I was stupid for being so gullible. Sometimes you have to pay the price to learn the lesson, right? I'm not happy about it, but I'm in no way angry at you or blaming you for this. But Sirius and I now have a score to settle." There was a core of determination in Gaius, surprisingly, but then he chuckled, lifting a hand and resting it on Regulus' arm, caressing lightly. "Besides, if he hadn't done this, I doubt you'd be about to give me a bubble bath. I consider that to be a price worth paying."

"Then I'd better make sure it's a hell of a bubble bath, if it's to be worth nearly dying," Regulus replied, trying to ignore the pleasurable little tingle he felt at the caress. It had been a long time since anyone had touched him like that, so of course he was susceptible, he told himself sternly. "You stay here. I'll finish getting everything ready," he instructed.

Moving away from Gaius with a reluctance he didn't want to think about, he returned to the tub to add the bubble bath, and then he collected several thick, fluffy towels and a couple of washcloths and put them on the floor near the tub. After testing the water, he turned off the taps and glanced back at Gaius, gesturing to the tub, which was now full of white, foamy bubbles.

"The water is ready," he said. "Go ahead and get in while I get your clothes. If it's not hot enough, I'll add some more hot water when I get back."

Gaius nodded. "Sounds wonderful," he murmured, he stripped off his sweatpants in one smooth gesture, revealing a pale, curved backside and legs that were surprisingly long for his height. There were bruises on his legs, and a puckered red scar down the outside of the one which had been nearly shattered, but it was obvious he'd not sustained as much damage below the waist as above. Putting out a hand, he balanced carefully before stepping over the edge of the large tub and sinking down below the bubbles. "It's not wonderful... it's _perfect_ ," he said, his voice deep and vibrant with contentment. 

Although the sight of more bare skin certainly affected Regulus, he found himself _more_ affected by what he could feel from Gaius across the bond, so much so that he didn't feel so much as a twinge of awkwardness or discomfort over seeing Gaius undress right in front of him. _He_ was causing Gaius to feel so content, maybe even happy, with just a little attention, which seemed unreal. How difficult was it to run a hot bath and make a few bubbles? It was nothing at all, and yet he could tell Gaius was getting far more enjoyment out of it for the amount of effort Regulus put into it.

He wondered if this was how Severus felt. If feeling Remus' pleasure and contentment fueled Severus' desire to do more because the effects were undeniable, thus giving Severus a sense of satisfaction in return. It could, he mused, be a loop of pleasure, one feeding into the other, much like he and Gaius had done in the beginning, albeit with anger. If nothing else, it was certainly feeding Regulus' desire to find new ways of taking care of Gaius until he was the most spoiled, pampered, and happy werewolf in existence. Regulus had never imagined how much pride and satisfaction he could take in seeing to someone else's well-being, but for a loner, he was adapting to the idea rather well.

"Good," he said at last as he put the bottles of bubble bath away. "You just relax, and I'll be right back with your clothes. Then I'll wash your hair for you."

"I'd like that very much," Gaius murmured, relaxing against the back of the tub with a sigh. He must have caught what Regulus was feeling, for he smiled at Regulus as though the sun rose and set upon him. "Hurry back?"

No one had _ever_ looked at Regulus that way before, and he was momentarily stunned into silence by the sight, overwhelmed and humbled at the same time. When he rallied enough to speak again, his own voice was low and husky. "Yes, I'll hurry."

And he did. He yanked open the drawers of Gaius' bureau in search of underpants and pajamas, and when he found them, he made a detour to his own bedroom. He grabbed the porcelain pitcher from the antique washstand in his room and hurried back to the bathroom and dropped the garments on the counter, finding himself surprisingly eager to fulfill his promise. He snagged a bottle of shampoo, not caring whether it was his or Gaius', and knelt beside the tub, holding up the bottle and the pitcher.

"I'm ready to play beautician if you are," he said. "Unless you want to soak for a while."

"Mmmm... I can soak after," Gaius replied, stretching languidly. He turned so that his back was to Regulus, leaning his head forward and exposing the vulnerable nape of his neck. "How is that? Can you reach all right?"

"Yes," Regulus replied faintly, mesmerized by the oddly alluring expanse of skin. Shaking his head to clear it, he put the shampoo aside for the moment, turned on the hot water, and filled the pitcher. "Lean your head back the other way. I don't want to get water in your eyes," he instructed.

Gaius obediently did as he was instructed. "I've never had anyone else wash my hair before. Not ever," he murmured. His eyes were closed, but he was completely relaxed and trusting. "I'm eager to see how it feels."

"I've never washed anyone else's hair before," Regulus said, testing the water to make sure it wasn't too hot. Shielding Gaius' eyes with one hand, he poured the water over Gaius' hair slowly, dousing it with thorough care. "You'll have to let me know if I do something you don't like or if it hurts."

"Mmmmm... I think you'll know," Gaius replied, obviously enjoying the water cascading over his head. "It feels very good so far."

"Good." Regulus smiled as he emptied the pitcher and put it aside, pleased that Gaius was enjoying it so far. He picked up the shampoo and popped open the top, pouring a generous amount into his palm and coating both hands before burying his fingers in Gaius' thick hair. He scrubbed gently, massaging Gaius' scalp with his fingertips as he worked up a lather. "How's that?" he asked.

"Oh... It feels fantastic," Gaius moaned, closing his eyes as he gave himself over to the experience. Despite the heat of the water, it was easy to see the gooseflesh breaking out on his arms, and he seemed in danger of going completely boneless beneath Regulus' hands. "I'll have to do this for you sometime."

"Maybe so," Regulus replied, endeavoring to sound nonchalant despite the warm little tingles the idea evoked. Despite centuries of animosity, he was quickly growing to like the thought of one particular werewolf touching him. But at the moment, he wanted to focus on relaxing Gaius and making him feel good; after what Gaius had been through, he deserved it.

The shampooing process was relaxing for him as well; the soothing scent of chamomile rose from the hot water, and there was something about combing his fingers through sudsy hair that he liked. Perhaps Gaius' mood was influencing his, but whatever the case, he was in no hurry, focusing on the task with the same intensity that he would any other and letting himself settle in the moment.

"Mmmm..." Gaius hummed softly, his air of contentment deepening further. "Definitely so. And any time you want me to be a good little puppy, you can lure me with promises of doing this again."

Regulus snorted, amused by Gaius' appropriation of the nickname; at least that answered the question of whether Gaius minded it or not. "I'll keep that in mind," he said. "I have a feeling I might need all the leverage I can get."

"Oh?" Gaius opened his eyes, glancing up at Regulus with a smile. "Am I so recalcitrant, then?"

"I think you have a stubborn streak," Regulus replied, arching one eyebrow at him. He began massaging Gaius' scalp a little harder, watching Gaius to gauge his reaction to the increased pressure.

Apparently Gaius liked it hard, for his eyes practically rolled back in his head, and he released his breath in a wordless aspiration. "I don't feel stubborn at the moment," he murmured. "In fact, I'll do anything you like. Anything at all."

Chuckling quietly, Regulus continued scrubbing harder for a moment before finally rinsing his sudsy hands in the water and reaching for the pitcher again. "What I want you to do is relax and rest so you'll heal faster," he said as he filled the pitcher. "But don't think I'll forget how easily a simple shampoo turned you into putty in my hands," he added as he shielded Gaius' eyes again and began rinsing his hair.

"I don't want you to forget," Gaius said, opening his eyes again and giving Regulus a wicked grin. "You're free to employ the technique anytime you'd like."

"I'm sure!" Regulus laughed and shook his head. "If I keep this up, you're going to be spoiled in no time," he said as he refilled the pitcher and rinsed Gaius' hair again to be sure he got all the shampoo out.

"I've never been spoiled before. I think I like it." Gaius sighed. "I want to spoil you, too, though."

"We'll see about that once you're well again." Regulus put the pitcher aside and finger-combed Gaius' hair gently, partly because he wanted to make sure he'd done a good job, and partly because he wasn't quite ready to get up and move away yet. "There. How does that feel?" he asked. "Was I an adequate beautician?"

"Feels fantastic; you're hired." Gaius leaned into the caress of Regulus' fingers. "If you scrub backs as well as you wash hair, I'm going to lock you up and never let you go."

Leaning over, Regulus snagged the washcloth and took the opportunity to murmur in Gaius' ear. "You already have me locked up, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." 

"Then I've got everything I've ever wanted," Gaius replied in a low voice. He lifted a wet hand to trail one finger over Regulus' cheek. "I just hope you don't mind your captivity."

"Not anymore." Regulus smiled and leaned slightly into the caress before he could think twice about it. "I'm starting to like having my own puppy." He ducked the washcloth in the water and grabbed the soap; once he'd lathered the cloth, he nudged Gaius to lean forward and began to wash Gaius' back, scrubbing hard since Gaius seemed to like that.

Gaius moved obediently. "I am definitely liking being your puppy," he replied softly. "I've... never really belonged to anyone before. I had lovers before I was turned, but at that time, in that place... it was frowned upon, and two men certainly couldn't have anything like an open relationship." He glanced back over his shoulder. "It was worth waiting a century for this. For you."

"I've never had anything like this either," Regulus replied, continuing to scrub Gaius' back with thorough care. "But I'm starting to see the benefits. I like taking care of you. I like feeling your contentment and enjoyment. It lets me know I've done something right." 

"You're doing everything right." Gaius chuckled, the pleasure and happiness he felt unmistakable. "I know we got off to a rocky start, but it's gotten so much better." He fell silent for a moment, his attitude suddenly pensive. "I know you didn't ask for this, but... if there _was_ a way to break the bond, would you want to do it?"

Regulus rocked back on his heels as he considered the question, not wanting to give a hasty answer. "If you'd asked me that a few days ago, I would have said yes, but now..." He shook his head, realizing that he had grown accustomed to the bond, had grown to like it, even. He thought about being cut off from Gaius, alone in his own body again, and he realized how empty it would feel. "No, I wouldn't want to do it," he said at last. "It's not an unwanted burden anymore. It's a connection unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and I don't want to give it up." 

There was no mistaking Gaius' sigh of relief. "I'm glad," he said, turning around in the tub to face Regulus, his dark eyes earnest. "I'm still sorry that I took away your choice, and I wish it could have started off differently, but I'm so relieved to hear you say that. I still want to make it up to you, but I have hope now that you might truly forgive me someday."

Cupping Gaius' cheek in his palm, Regulus gazed at him steadily. "I already do," he replied. "Maybe we had a bad start, but things have definitely changed. I don't resent being forced into the bond anymore, and I'm not angry with you, not even a little."

Gaius turned his head, pressing his lips against Regulus' palm. "Thank you," he said, his voice ragged. His happiness echoed through the bond, and he closed his eyes. "That means a great deal to me. More than you can imagine."

"I have a pretty good idea," Regulus replied, the ripples of Gaius' happiness bringing a smile to his own lips. Such emotional candor wasn't natural for him, but it seemed to come easily when he was with Gaius, perhaps because he knew it was safe, and he couldn't hide much of anything anyway. "Anyway, don't worry about that anymore, all right? It's over. Done. We're moving forward now." 

"Right." Gaius nodded, then looked up at Regulus with a smile. "I think I'm ready to get out now, if that's all right with you. I'm glad to be clean, but I think Remus was right. I'm ready to lie down again now."

"Good idea." Regulus picked up a smaller towel and draped it over his shoulder, and then he unfurled a large, fluffy towel and stood up, holding it with his arms outstretched, ready to wrap Gaius up in it. "Did you take any painkillers before you left? If not, you should take some, and then maybe take a nap."

"I think my next dose is due now," Gaius replied as he stood, stepping out of the tub and turning so that Regulus could put the towel around him. "A nap sounds wonderful, too." He gave Regulus a coy smile. "Now that you have me all clean and relaxed, what are you going to do with me?"

Regulus wound the large towel around Gaius, wrapping him up snugly, and he used the smaller towel to dry Gaius' hair, deliberately tousling it to tease him. "I'm going to get a glass of water and your meds while you get dressed," he replied. "Then I'm going to tuck you in. Then when you wake up, I'll order something to eat for you. Remus said you could have soup. Sorry, puppy, but that's about as wild as you're going to get for now," he added dryly. 

"Darn." Gaius gave a theatrical sigh of disappointment, but it wasn't echoed in his feelings; he seemed too peaceful and happy for anything negative to intrude. "All right, I'll be good. Just pass me my clothing, please, and I'll try to keep from acting like a two year old - although it's tempting to pout and demand cuddles, too."

Regulus fetched the underwear and pajamas he'd grabbed and handed them over, regarding Gaius curiously. "Cuddles?"

"You know... snuggling?" Gaius tilted his head at Regulus. "Do you not like to cuddle?"

"I don't have much experience with it," Regulus replied, shrugging slightly. "I've only had vampire lovers, and neither of them were the snuggling type. It's not all that enjoyable to nestle up to another cool body, anyway." 

"Remus says Severus likes to cuddle with him," Gaius replied, then flushed slightly. "You seemed to like the fact that I'm warm, too."

"I do, yes," Regulus said, trying not to be disgruntled with Severus for suddenly turning into a cuddler. "It sounds like Severus has undergone quite a few changes since he's met Remus, although I think I'm starting to understand why. I imagine cuddling is a lot more appealing when the body you're cuddling is warm and breathing." 

"I liked it when you cuddled me after my nightmare. It made me feel much better," Gaius said, giving Regulus a look of mute appeal.

"I suppose that does count as cuddling," Regulus said, trying - and failing - to ignore the look and the effect it was having on his resolve. "Anyway, you get dressed, I'll get the meds, and then we'll see if you deserve some cuddling," he added mock-sternly. 

"Yes, sir." Gaius' reply was said cheekily, and then he removed the towel, laying it over the edge of the tub and picking up his underpants.

While Gaius dressed, Regulus went to find the bottle of painkillers Remus had given him, and by the time he returned and filled a water glass, Gaius was dry and fully clothed. "The directions say you can have two, if you want them," Regulus said, handing over the glass before opening the pill bottle. "So one or two?"

"One - you've made me feel much better already." Gaius smiled warmly, holding out his hand and taking the pill. He swallowed it down, then put the water glass on the counter. "All right, I'm ready to be tucked in."

"If you need another one, let me know," Regulus said as he put the bottle aside. "I don't want you to be too brave and end up in pain." With that, he scooped Gaius up in his arms again and carried him into his bedroom, where the covers were already turned back and the pillows plumped. 

Gaius seemed less surprised this time at being carried, and he wrapped his arms around Regulus' neck. "I won't be brave, never fear. I don't like unnecessary pain." After Regulus had lowered him carefully onto the mattress, Gaius scooted over toward the middle of the bed. "So... have I earned a cuddle?"

Regulus pretended to consider the question, although he'd already made up his mind; the idea of snuggling up to a warm werewolf wasn't an unpleasant one, to say the least, and if it helped Gaius feel better and perhaps heal faster too, then so much the better. He remembered Gaius mentioning the bond had helped after his nightmare, so perhaps it would help again now. 

"I think so," he replied, slipping off his shoes before sliding into bed beside Gaius. "Although you'll have to tell me if you have any cuddling preferences." 

Gaius' smile lit up his whole face, and he didn't hesitated to roll toward Regulus, slipping up next to him and laying his head on Regulus' shoulder. He put one arm around Regulus' waist, then gave a gusty sigh. "Just like this," he murmured. "Feels even better than the bath."

"Good." Regulus smiled too as he slid his arm around Gaius and rubbed Gaius' back soothingly. "Rest now. I'll be right here when you wake up." 

"Mmmm... good." Gaius yawned, then between one breath and the next he relaxed bonelessly, slipping into sleep. The emotions on the bond faded, but still spoke of a vast contentment, and no doubt if Gaius dreamed, they would all be pleasant ones.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	12. Chapter 12

"Excuse me, sir? We have... a problem."

Severus looked up from the report he was reading on the list of construction materials needed for some reinforcements to one of the older parts of the castle, and he immediately grew tense and alert at Locke's words. He was surprised it had taken Sirius so long to retaliate, yet he'd also been relieved at every extra hour he'd had to prepare. But if this was it, they would do the best they could and hope that fortune favored them.

"What is it?" he asked, rising to his feet and reaching for the guns he had laid out on the desk, never far from reach. "Mass attack or singleton?"

"Singleton," Locke replied, but he shook his head. "But it isn't a werewolf, sir. Vampire, from the heat signature. He's still staggering up the road about two clicks from here; we spotted him on the long range cameras, and I came to report at once. What do want us to do?"

"Do?" Severus blinked in surprise. Even though it had only been a few days, he'd begun to believe that none of the clan had survived Gellert's attack. It seemed that at least one had, but... how in the hell had he managed to end up here, on the other side of the country? In a location that was known only to a few? Frowning, Severus considered. "It must be a trap. Regulus, Remus, and I had no idea this place even existed, and I'm sure that no other vampires did. It can't be coincidence; he was sent. Go find Regulus, and please ask Remus to join us. Then bring in the vampire... but carefully! There's no telling what booby-traps Sirius might have set. If he's a walking bomb, we don't want him going off inside our stronghold."

"Yes, sir," Locke said, and then he headed off at a trot to carry out Severus' requests. 

Severus turned to one of the other guards who always stood watch. "Put everyone on alert, especially at the cave entrance and the south section. And tell the men to arm the explosives. I'd rather bring parts of the castle down around our ears than to risk the werewolves getting through. The men are not to risk themselves, am I understood? There are few enough that we can't risk anyone playing Horatio at the bridge. If they can't kill the werewolves from at least a hundred meters, blow the section and get the hell out!"

"Will do, sir," the guard responded, and then he, too, left. Agitated, Severus began to pace. It was out of his hands now; all he could do was wait.

Remus was the first to arrive, and he hurried into the room, visibly worried. "What is it?" he asked as he approached Severus quickly. "What's happened? The guard wouldn't give me any details."

Severus turned as Remus entered, moving toward him as well and putting his hands on Remus' shoulders. "The guards sighted someone heading to the castle, but it's a vampire, not a werewolf," he explained. "It could be a trap, but it's still important that we talk to him if possible. The report is that he's staggering, so he might be injured. That's your department, of course, but I don't want you risking yourself unnecessarily."

Nodding, Remus reached up to curl his fingers around Severus' wrists lightly. "I'll hang back until you give the all-clear. Do you want me to get some bags of blood ready or wait until we see what kind of condition he's in first?"

"It wouldn't hurt to be ready," Severus replied, pleased with Remus' suggestion. "Since he's walking, he probably isn't in too bad shape, so he probably won't need the kind of help Gaius did, but it would be prudent to be prepared."

Releasing Severus' wrists, Remus flashed him an impudent look and saluted smartly. "Yes, sir! I'll go put together a bag of vampiric first response equipment, and I'll come right back here, all right?"

"All right," Severus replied, but he stepped forward and pulled Remus against him, kissing Remus soundly. "If you're going to be obedient and submissive, you might want to wait until we're alone. But other than that... do hurry back."

"No, this is me doing as I'm asked by the one in charge of tactics and defense," Remus replied, sliding his hands down the length of Severus' back for a quick grope before pulling away. "Being obedient and submissive involves rope and nudity."

It definitely wasn't the time for naughty thoughts, but Severus couldn't help it, the thought of Remus naked and tied up a very alluring one. But he firmly pulled himself back to the business at hand, sparing time for only a quick swat on Remus' arse before his expression turned serious. "We'll definitely save that thought for later," he murmured. "So go on, then. And if you see Regulus, tell him to hurry, please."

"I will." Remus smiled and craned up to buss Severus' cheek before turning and heading for the door. "I'll be back in a few minutes!" he called before he disappeared from sight.

With his acute hearing, Severus caught the sound of an exchange between Remus and Regulus in the corridor, and a moment later, Regulus entered, regarding Severus curiously, although his hand rested securely on the butt of his gun as if he had an idea of what to expect.

"Has Sirius come back?" he asked as he strode across the room and stood in front of Severus in an alert stance.

"As of this moment, no," Severus replied, not surprised to see Regulus was all business immediately with a crisis at hand. "The guards are checking out in a vampire who was headed toward us. They're bringing him in, if they can ascertain he's not rigged."

"A _vampire_?" Regulus stared at him, visibly shocked by the news. "I thought everyone was dead. Do you know who it is yet?"

"No idea, except that it can't be Lucius or any of his close compatriots, since we found their bodies at the mansion after Gellert's attack," Severus replied. He didn't much care who it was so long as it wasn't one of Lucius' people. Regulus had been his only real friend in the clan; the others were either insipid annoyances to be scorned or mere coworkers. He knew that the clan meant more to Regulus than it did to him, but he needed to make certain he and Regulus were on the same page. "No matter who it is, however, I'm not risking the castle or anyone in it for them. If I think they're booby-trapped, I'll blow them to kingdom come myself rather than allowing them inside."

Regulus hesitated, but only for a moment, and then he nodded resolutely. "I agree. We can't risk it. If there's any chance Sirius has rigged a trap, we can't let them in. They'll simply have to be collateral damage," he concluded in a softer voice.

"Unfortunately, yes," Severus replied. There was a beep, and the remaining guard in the room lifted a walkie-talkie to his ear, listening to it before glancing at the two vampires.

"They've reached him, and he's clean - no bugs, no traps," the guard said. "They want to know if they should bring him in."

Severus glanced at Regulus. "What do you think? Shall we take the risk?"

Regulus frowned pensively, appearing to mull over the issue before responding. "I think we ought to go out there, just in case. Heavily armed, of course, and with lots of cover. The werewolves don't have the advanced technology we did, but Gaius found evidence that Gryffindor might have been helping them out to even the odds. Sirius might have some surprises for us, and the bait might have been followed."

"Good point." Severus turned to the guard. "We'll come out," he replied. "Tell them to stay where they are." He looked at Regulus. "In fact, you stay here, and I'll go. We can't risk both of us."

"The hell I will," Regulus retorted, his frown deepening as he squared off with Severus. "If Sirius sent trackers, you'll need more than human sharpshooters on your side. We're still low on liquid silver bullets, and you're the one who said I was more valuable for my centuries of experience."

Severus put his hands on his hips. "Yes, which is precisely why you need to remain in the castle. If something were to happen to me, you would need to plan the next move. To take care of Remus and Gaius. For all we know, you and I and whoever is out there are the last vampires in the world. We can't all be together in the same place outside the security of these walls."

Regulus glared at him for a moment longer, and then he looked away with an annoyed huff. "Fine, I'll stay in here. I don't _like_ it, but I'll do it." 

"Good," Severus replied. Then he relented, his voice softening. "If it's a trap, I might stand a chance against the UV rounds... and they wouldn't know that. And you have more intrinsic value than I do as far as weapons. If they do manage to take me out, you need to find some way to survive. No matter what the cost."

Regulus' annoyance seemed to fade at that, and he nodded somberly. "Just be careful," he said. "I'd feel better if I was the one to have your back, but I suppose it's better not to risk wiping us all out at once."

"At least not until we have an opportunity to take the time to find people who might wish to join us," Severus replied. He was already in his body armor, and his guns were in their holsters. He moved behind the desk and opened a drawer, removing a set of matched stilettos and slipping one into each boot. "I'll be careful, don't worry. Not that I'm anxious to die anyway, but I wouldn't want to put Remus through that." Standing, he looked at the guard. "Let's do it."

No sooner had he spoken when Remus hurried back in with a satchel slung over his shoulder, and he smiled and greeted Regulus before returning to Severus' side. "Okay, I've got blood bags, antibiotics, bandages, and a few other things I might need. Oh, and a gun, just in case. Are we ready?"

" _You_ are, maybe," Regulus grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ready," Severus said, giving Regulus a sympathetic glance. His protective instincts would prefer to leave Remus behind, but he knew that he needed Remus in this in more ways than one. "We're going out to meet them. Regulus suggested it, and he's right; it's safer that way."

Remus' eyes widened slightly at that, but he didn't hesitate, only nodded. "That makes sense," he said, securing the satchel on his shoulder and lifting his chin proudly. "I'm ready to go when you are."

"I'll find a good place to help cover you," Regulus said. "If you don't want me to go out, at least let me provide some back-up." 

"Thank you, that would be helpful," Severus replied gratefully. He put an arm around Remus and nodded to the guard. "Let's go. We'll take one of the armored trucks."

"Yes, sir," the guard replied, and Severus escorted Remus out, following the guard through the maze of corridors and toward a motor pool area that Severus had seen on the plans but had never entered. He was impressed by the number of vehicles inside, but he couldn't spend time examining them. The guard - Sawyer - led them to a reinforced truck, and Severus settled Remus in the back before climbing in beside him, while Sawyer took the driver's seat. In a matter of minutes, they were out of the castle, through the armored gate and heading down the road, the moonlight above them bleaching out all color from the surrounding landscape.

When they stopped, Severus unfastened his safety belt. "Sawyer, you stay in the truck." He turned to Remus, moving a hand to caress Remus' cheek briefly. "You, too. When I've ascertained that it's safe, you can come check out your patient. But if any trouble happens - anything at all - you are to get back to the castle and lock it down tight. Regulus has the plans we've been working on, and he'll know what to do."

"All right," Remus agreed even as he reached into his satchel and drew out a handgun. "I've got this, so I can defend myself if I have to, but I promise I'll stay put and not go looking for trouble."

"Good." Severus smiled tersely, pressing Remus' hand before alighting from the truck. He glanced at Sawyer one last time before closing the door. "And don't forget: first sign of any trouble, all I want to see of this truck is the dirt kicked up by your wheels. Got it?"

"Yes, sir. Bug out at once," Sawyer agreed. Satisfied, Severus shut the door and turned his attention to the scene in front of him.

The vampire who had caused the alert was collapsed in the road, and half-dozen of the castle guards were around, although Severus was glad to see they were scattered and watchful, not clumped around him like gawking amateurs. Someone had put a thermal blanket over him, at least, and Severus was surprised at that small kindness. But he approved that they hadn't done more, minimizing the risk to themselves as he had ordered.

Approaching more closely, Severus saw that the man had dark, curling hair, and from a distance he might have mistaken the figure for Regulus, had Reg not been back at the castle. A few more paces and Severus recognized him, and his footsteps quickened almost to a run.

"You're sure he's clear?" he rapped out at the closest guard, and the man nodded. Deciding he didn't have too much to worry about, Severus knelt down at the vampire's side, feeling a surge of sympathy as he noticed his condition."Sayid?" he said, calling the vampire by name. He knew this one better than most, for Sayid was Regulus' primary assistant. That was a good thing, for as a Death Eater, Sayid was used to putting the good of the group above his own welfare, and Severus was certain he'd volunteer information on any traps he knew about. "Sayid, it's Severus. How did you get here? Is it safe to take you in?" 

It seemed to take great effort for Sayid to lift his head, and he peered at Severus blearily, appearing drained to the point of utter exhaustion. "It's safe," he said, his voice sounding strained and weak. "Not a trap. He sent me with a message." 

"A message?" Severus frowned, then put his fingers to Sayid's lips. "No, not now." Raising his other hand, he waved it toward the truck, then made a summoning gesture, certain Remus would understand. Then he looked back at Sayid. "Stay still. We have a doctor who will give you some blood before we try to move you. I know it's dangerous to be out here, but Regulus has us covered. I don't wish to chance injuring you further by moving you before you can heal a bit. Regulus would have my head; he'll be very glad to see you."

As expected, Remus jumped out of the truck and came running, clutching his satchel in one hand and his gun in the other. "How bad is he?" he asked briskly, already pulling out a bag of blood-substitute. 

"Conscious, coherent, unknown injuries," Severus replied, standing up beside Remus. He could see that Remus had gone into his Doctor mode, which in this instance was very useful. "Here, give me your gun. I'll cover you while you attend him."

Remus handed over his gun, acknowledging Severus' response absently; he was already fixated on his patient, and he knelt and drew back the blanket, running a critical eye over Sayid. "Any broken bones?" he asked. "Is it possible you might have any internal injuries?" 

"No broken bones, no internal injuries," Sayid replied. "He tortured me, yes, but he let me heal before he sent me here. He wanted to be certain I'd survive the journey." 

"Probably just exhaustion, then, but we'll get you inside and check you out thoroughly to be sure. Can you drink this on your own?" Remus lifted Sayid's head and shoulders into his lap and held up the bag, and Sayid nodded eagerly, a hungry gleam appearing in his eyes at the sight of it. Remus held the bag in place while Sayid bit and drank, and he glanced back at Severus. "It'll be safe to move him after he drinks as long as they take it slow and easy." 

"Right." Severus spared a glance down at Sayid, giving him a nod of encouragement, then went back to surveying the area for danger. Sawyer was standing not far from the truck, apparently alert in case they wanted help, and Severus called to him. "Bring a stretcher, and we'll load him into the truck. Then the men can start withdrawing, but I want an increased perimeter watch. Just because Sayid isn't trapped doesn't mean there might not be someone coming in his wake, and they might figure we'd let the next one through easier."

When the first bag was empty, Remus offered Sayid another, but he shook his head. "That was enough for now," he said, and he gazed up at Severus imploringly. "I need to talk to you. It's urgent." 

"It's waited this long," Remus said firmly. "It can wait a few minutes longer until you're in the infirmary." 

"The doctor has spoken," Severus said, giving Sayid a brief smile. "Besides, we need to have Regulus there for whatever you have to say, and Gaius should probably be there." He sobered. "We have some things to tell you, too."

Sawyer arrived with the stretcher, and Severus stepped back slightly to give them room. "Can the two of you load him up?"

Remus' professional demeanor broke for a moment as he smiled up at Severus and flexed his biceps. "No problem," he replied even as he shifted into position to help Sawyer move the other vampire onto the stretcher. They were slow and careful, and once Sayid was settled on it with the thermal blanket tucked around him again, Remus took his place at one end of the stretcher, and he nodded to Sawyer. "Ready when you are." 

"Ready," Sawyer said, and he lifted his end. Severus gave Remus a heated look for the little display, then turned his attention to guarding again. 

"Let's get him in the truck quickly. I'll be much happier when we have him safely in the castle," Severus said. They made their way to the truck, carefully but with speed, and Severus gestured for Remus to get in with Sayid if he preferred. "I assume the doctor wants to keep an eagle eye on his patient, right?"

"Yes, the doctor would," Remus replied with obvious amusement. "I'm not too worried, but there could be things going on that we can't see, and I'll feel a lot better if I'm close by in case something goes wrong." 

With that, he climbed into the back of the truck and sat down next to the stretcher, waving to Severus to let him know he was settled. 

Severus nodded approvingly, then shut the back of the truck and moved around to the front, climbing in next to Sawyer to better provide covering fire if needed. "Let's go."

In minutes, they were pulling back into the castle, and several of the human medical staff were waiting with a gurney. By the time Severus was out of the truck, they had the rear door open and were pulling the stretcher out, the picture of efficiency. He wasn't surprised to see Regulus there as well as Gaius, and he noted that there were more guards as well, and that they had their weapons drawn rather than holstered. 

"He'll be fine," Severus called out to Regulus, then beckoned him and Gaius over so that they could follow the gurney back to the infirmary. "It's Sayid. He says they sent him with a message."

"Sayid?" Regulus' face lit up at that news, and he hurried to fall in step beside Severus, although he kept casting concerned glances at the vampire on the gurney. "Is he all right?"

"He seems to be," Remus replied, although he too was watching the progress of the gurney, as if making certain they didn't handle his patient too roughly. "On the surface, he seems to be exhausted from traveling all this way, possibly on foot, but he mentioned being tortured, so there may be leftover damage from that. I can't be sure until I've examined him more thoroughly in a better environment than the middle of a road."

Gaius followed along behind them, but then he finally spoke, his voice hesitant. "Should I stay away?" he asked, looking between Regulus and Severus uncertainly. "If he's been held by Sirius and tortured, he probably won't want a werewolf anywhere near him."

Severus hesitated, then shrugged. "I don't know. What do you think, Remus? He's your patient, so you make the call."

"You can stay unless he gets agitated," Remus said matter-of-factly. "I think it would be a good idea to have you there so you can hear what he has to say and fill in the blanks for us since you know the werewolves' lair better than any of us, but if having you there upsets him, I won't compromise his health. We'll have to catch you up on everything later."

"All right," Gaius said, taking up a position behind Regulus.

They turned into the infirmary, and Severus followed right along behind Remus, unwilling to leave lest there was something badly wrong and Sayid needed to say what he had come to say in a big hurry.

"Just let us know when you're done," he said to Remus, then positioned himself against one of the walls to watch and wait.

While Severus and Regulus had attended to the business of strengthening the defenses of the castle, Remus must have spent his time whipping the hospital ward into shape, because he worked with his team as smoothly as if they'd been together for years rather than days. He issued orders with quiet confidence, focused and intense while he worked as if Severus - along with the rest of the world - had disappeared. 

In less time than Severus expected, Remus hung Sayid's chart at the foot of the narrow hospital bed and approached the little group waiting for him, smiling. 

"He'll be fine," he said. "He's a little worse for wear, but it's nothing that some more blood and rest won't cure. He's still eager to talk to you, if you're ready." 

Severus raised a brow at Regulus. "As ready as we can be, I suppose," he replied, then stepped forward toward the head of Sayid's bed, beckoning Remus to stay with him.

Remus took a spot just behind Severus, out of the way of the conversation but close enough to step in if he was needed. Regulus moved forward as well, standing on the other side of Sayid's bed, and he gazed down at Sayid with visible relief. 

"We thought everyone else was dead," he said.

"Not quite." Sayid smiled mirthlessly as he looked back and forth between Severus and Regulus. "There are other survivors besides me." 

"Really?" Severus was surprised, and he glanced at Remus. The damage they'd seen at the castle right after the attack had been horrific, and so had the amount of blood and number of bodies, all of which had been turned to ash by the sun long before Severus and Regulus had gone back to look for things. He looked at Sayid again. "Do you know how many? And who?"

"Not many," Sayid replied, shaking his head regretfully. "The only ones who survived both Gellert and the werewolves were those of us who were underground in the armory and the weapons manufacturing area. We heard the noise above - crashing, screaming, nothing but utter chaos and destruction - and we took refuge. Gellert didn't bother to check for survivors, but we didn't dare come out in case he returned. Then night fell, and when we woke up, we had been captured. The werewolves had come during the day and found us while we were sleeping."

"I see." Severus' tone was low, and he felt a surge of unaccustomed guilt. He and Remus hadn't bothered to check more than perfunctorily, not knowing that there were still survivors in the ruins of the mansion. If he had checked, they would have been spared capture by Sirius and his lot; but, then again, they might not have survived the confrontations with Gellert he and Remus had faced, and they almost assuredly would have wanted Remus dead. "So you've been held for the last few days?" He glanced at Regulus. "They must have been brought in about the time we were leaving, assuming Sirius brought them to the same place where you were... being held."

"Probably not," Gaius spoke up. He was still standing behind Regulus, apparently trying to stay out of sight of Sayid. "Regulus was in an older section that was rarely used, for safety reasons. There are at least two other areas where prisoners were held that I know of, and Sirius might even be using a different place entirely. Even one of your own safe-houses, if he found the location and the way to get in."

As soon as Sayid noticed Gaius, he recoiled and hissed, his fangs extending. "What is that thing doing here?" 

Severus laid a hand on Sayid's shoulder. "He's a defector. He saved Regulus' life," he said soothingly. "He's with us, and it's a good thing, too, or we never would have found this place or been able to defeat Gellert and Albus. There's a lot you need to know, Sayid. A lot that contradicts the lies Voldemort fed us for centuries."

Sayid eyed Gaius with barely concealed hostility, but he settled down again. "That can wait," he said tersely. "There's something you need to know first. It has to do with the reason he sent me." 

"The weapon," Regulus said hoarsely, and when Severus glanced at him, he looked utterly horrified. 

Sayid nodded somberly. "Yes. The weapon." 

"What weapon?" Severus asked, frowning as he looked between the other two vampires. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

Regulus turned to him, appearing even paler than normal for a vampire, and he swallowed hard before speaking. "I designed a weapon," he said slowly. "It was supposed to be a form of biological warfare, something that would affect werewolves, but not vampires or humans. I thought it would end the war once and for all. Sayid was helping me build it, but it wasn't finished yet. I assumed it had been destroyed after we saw the damage to the mansion, but if Sirius got his hands on it..." 

"He did, and he recognized what it is and what it's meant to do," Sayid said grimly. "He tried to force me to help him complete it, but I didn't have the blueprints, and I'm not you. I had no idea how to continue. Neither do any of the others, of course, so he sent me to tell you both that he wants to make a trade." He gazed at Severus somberly. "Me and the other survivors in return for Regulus."

Severus blinked in shock; he'd had no idea that Regulus had been working on a doomsday sort of thing to take out the werewolves once and for all. He saw Gaius blanch, looking sick to his stomach, and Severus didn't feel much better about it himself, despite his previous hatred of werewolves. 

But there was no way he was about to do what Sirius asked. "Absolutely not," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "We have you here, Sayid, and if Sirius can't figure out the weapon, it would be sheerest folly to hand him the one person who can."

Regulus looked at Gaius, but he looked away quickly at the sight of Gaius' obvious distress. "I'm going," he said grimly. He lifted his chin, and Severus knew him well enough that he could all but see Regulus digging in his figurative heels. "First of all, we need to save as many vampires as we can. Starting over is all well and good, but you know how difficult and risky it is to 'recruit'. Second, just because I go to him doesn't mean I'm going to complete the weapon. I can sabotage it before he realizes what's happened. In the meantime, I can try to wear him down. He's stubborn and proud, but he's also my brother. Deep down, that might still mean something to him. And third..." He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed quietly. "This is my mess, and I need to clean it up." 

Severus' instinct was to argue, and he opened his mouth, before closing it again with a snap. There was a logic to Regulus' argument, even though Severus was loathe to admit it. He scowled darkly, glaring at Regulus as though he could make him back down, but he knew it wouldn't work. "Fine," he said finally, even though he hated voicing the word. "To be honest, I don't care about the other vampires - no offense, Sayid - because you are my friend. And I don't care if you kill Sirius, brother or not. But... you're right. If he has the damned thing and it could be used to destroy the last of us, he must be stopped."

"No." Gaius' voice was ragged, and his eyes were wide and pleading as he looked at Regulus. "You can't go... he'll _kill_ you! Please... don't."

"I must." Regulus' expression softened as he looked at Gaius. "That weapon could be used against us. The catalyst I had in mind to activate it could be changed, and we could end up dead no matter how many defenses we erected around the castle. I've got to destroy it, and if I can convince him to end the war in the process, so much the better." 

Gaius stared at Regulus for a moment, and then he drew himself up. He was pale, but there was determination in his eyes. "Then I'm going with you. Maybe I can help. Somehow."

For a moment, Regulus looked like _he_ wanted to protest, but then he clenched his jaw and nodded. "All right," he said with all the enthusiasm with which Severus had spoken. "But there will be ground rules, and I expect you to obey them." 

Sayid stared at the two of them, visibly shocked. "What's happened to you? A _werewolf_ , Regulus?"

"It's a long story," Regulus replied tersely. "The short version is that Severus and I discovered vampires and werewolves can become bonded to one another." 

Turning to look at Sayid, Gaius didn't flinch or back down. "I'm bound to Regulus. By my own choice. I'm in love with him, and I'll die to protect him, if I must. In fact, I'd probably die if he left me behind."

Remus gave Gaius an encouraging nod, and Severus wasn't surprised that he approved of Gaius' determination, given how tenacious he'd been at times. Regulus, on the other hand, went from pale to pink, a flush rising in his cheeks, but he didn't back down or look away. 

"I'm not happy about Gaius going with me," he said. "But I know what would happen. He can barely stand being apart for a few hours, much less a few days. I don't think he's exaggerating when he says it might kill him, and I'm not about to risk Gaius' life to test the limits of the bond."

Severus' scowl deepened; the four of them had been through so much, and he was reluctant to risk losing Regulus and Gaius both. He was surprised to find he liked Gaius, even respected him. The choices the werewolf had made had been difficult, starting with his decision to not give in to the bestiality of his brethren and continuing through his tenacity in protecting Regulus. Now it appeared that he had no choice but to let the two of them go, and he could have happily killed Sirius himself just for that, much less the whole problem of this uberweapon.

"All right." His voice was a growl, and he looked at Sayid with a frown. "I assume Sirius gave you some kind of information about what he wants Regulus to do?"

Gaius looked relieved, and he reached out to clasp Regulus' hand lightly, and Regulus let him.

"Yes, I have instructions for him," Sayid replied. 

"Later," Remus said firmly. "I think we all have business to attend to, and Sayid needs to rest. We can finish this conversation tomorrow." His tone made it clear his statement wasn't a suggestion or a request. 

"All right. Thank you, Sayid. I'll leave you in Remus' capable hands," Severus replied. He lifted a hand to rub his forehead, glancing at Regulus and Gaius. "I'm not sending you out empty-handed, but we need to figure out what you could get past Sirius. In the meantime, dawn is approaching. We'll talk when you're up, Regulus; I'm sure you want a contingency plan just as much as I do."

"Yes, I do," Regulus agreed swiftly. "I want a Plan A, B, and C in mind before we leave."

Remus patted Sayid's arm before he began gently herding the others out the door. "Plan outside my patient's room," he said. "He'll rest better if there isn't brilliant strategizing going on over his head."

Severus nodded, reaching out to touch Remus' arm. "When you're done, I'll be in our suite," he murmured quietly. "We have some planning of our own to do." Then he turned to leave, watching as Regulus and Gaius left the room, turning in the direction of the stairs which lead to the upper floors. For his part, Severus turned in the other direction, needing to check in with the guards before he could retire for the day. If he knew Remus, the doctor in him wouldn't let him retire until Sayid had gone dormant at dawn, which meant he had a little time. He'd might as well put it to good use, until he could be alone with Remus. After the events of the night, he needed Remus' warmth and understanding more than ever.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	13. Chapter 13

By the time he got back to the suite, Regulus didn't know whom he was more angry with: Sirius or himself. He supposed Sirius must have thought they were all stupid and wouldn't realize Sirius' offer was for nothing but a temporary respite and that he would use the weapon against them at the earliest opportunity. But Sirius had always been arrogant, and with any luck, Regulus would be able to use what he knew about Sirius to his advantage. If he couldn't convince Sirius that peace was the better option, then he would destroy the weapon even if it meant his own death. Either way, Sirius wasn't going to get a working weapon to use against the surviving vampires.

He shouldn't have created the weapon in the first place, and not just because it was now being used against them, but he'd been so single-minded in his intentions to wipe out the werewolves that he hadn't thought about the implications of what he was doing, namely committing genocide. He'd been thoroughly brainwashed, and he was ashamed of his behavior now. He wasn't aware that he was growling softly as he stalked into the suite, wishing he had enough time to unleash some pent-up frustration on the firing range before dawn, but it was too close; he would simply have to wait for the peace of oblivion.

Gaius followed in behind him and shut the door before moving closer and placing a hand on his arm. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, his eyes full of sympathy and understanding. "I know this can't be easy for you."

Regulus stopped pacing and turned to face Gaius, raking his fingers through his hair. "Only if you know of a way to turn back time," he said ruefully. "I was stupid and blind, and it's come back to bite me on the arse. I just hope my mistake doesn't cost more lives."

"I can't turn back time, but I'll do everything I can to help you stop Sirius," Gaius replied, giving Regulus' arm a squeeze. "Don't beat yourself up over it. When you made it, you didn't know that the world wasn't exactly as you'd always thought. Things are different now - _you_ are different - and we'll make it right."

"I'm going to do my best to make it right," Regulus said, resting his hand atop Gaius'. He paused, debating the wisdom of giving in to impulse, but in the face of what lay ahead, he decided to fling caution to the wind, and he wound his arms around Gaius and pulled him close, seeking comfort from the warmth and contact. 

Gaius didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Regulus in return, and it appeared he was using the bond to emphasize the acceptance and comfort he'd offered through his words. "You aren't alone. I'll be there with you every step of the way."

"I'm not sure I'm reassured by that or not," Regulus said lightly, although he wasn't entirely joking. "As good as it is to have someone at my back, I think returning to Sirius' lair is just as dangerous for you as it is for me. More, possibly, if Sirius get angry when he sees he didn't finish the job he started." 

"But that's just it: he needs to see. They all do," Gaius said earnestly. "We want to end the war and show them that things can be better. Different. That we can coexist - that vampires and werewolves _need_ each other. What better way to prove it than to show them how the bond saved me?"

Regulus mulled over the idea, absently stroking Gaius' back as he thought. "I suppose it might help," he said. "It couldn't hurt. At the very least, he'd see we present a united front." 

"Exactly." Gaius looked up at him, no doubt in his eyes or along the bond. "I'm not thrilled about going back, but my place is by your side. Whatever happens... well, it happens, and I'll be there. I _have_ to be there, because if anything happened to you and I wasn't with you, I'd never be able to live with myself."

"Silly puppy," Regulus murmured, cupping Gaius' cheek in his palm. "You're still a terrible fighter. What do you plan to do, nip at their heels or maybe give them that wide-eyed pleading look you give me and hope they drop their weapons?" he teased gently. 

Gaius smiled. "Well, I could try it, I suppose, but that doesn't get me too far, not even with you." He leaned his cheek into Regulus' hand. "No, I'll simply have to talk them to death. I seem to be pretty good at that."

Regulus chuckled, his mood lightening for the first time since Sayid had delivered his message. "No comment," he said tactfully, although there was mischief in his eyes. "Just promise me you'll be careful, and that if there's any shooting, you'll take cover. Don't try to be heroic, and don't worry about being brave. Just do everything you can to keep yourself alive."

"I promise," Gaius said with a nod. "Believe me, I've no desire to die. Not when I finally feel I have a great deal to live for." He tightened his arms around Regulus. "And you promise me to keep yourself alive, too. Because I don't want to have my reason for living taken away from me."

"I promise," Regulus replied, feeling a little rush of heat in his face at Gaius' words. He was still getting used to having someone so completely focused on him, but it was getting easier, if no less odd, to accept that Gaius had chosen him, of all people. "I have pretty good incentive to stay alive myself." 

"I'm glad you feel that way; not too long ago you didn't think you had much at all to live for," Gaius replied softly. "I hope now you feel as though you have a place to belong."

"Oddly enough, I do," Regulus said thoughtfully. "Which surprises me, but then again, I didn't count on the odd twists and turns my life has taken of late. Even without Sirius to contend with, I've got plenty to keep me occupied for decades at least, just in terms of getting things the way _I_ want them around here. Then there's training and weapons updating, which is a continual process." He smiled and gave Gaius' backside a swat. "Not to mention, there's a certain werewolf who requires cuddling and having his hair washed. My life is far more full than I expected it to be so soon after losing everything." 

The swat made Gaius' smile widen and take on a wicked edge. "I do try to do what I can," he murmured, and then he rested his head on Regulus' shoulder with a sigh. "So, one more day, and then we have to go and face up to your brother. Would... would you mind if I stayed in your bed? It might be the last time we get to share one for... a while."

The thought was sobering, and it prompted Regulus to respond quickly. "No, I don't mind," he said, tightening his arms around Gaius protectively. He was worried about what would happen when Gaius fell into Sirius' clutches again, especially since he had no doubt the first thing Sirius would do was separate them. He wouldn't be able to watch out for Gaius and take care of him, and there certainly wouldn't be any cuddling for either of them. "I don't mind at all." 

"Thank you," Gaius replied, squeezing Regulus tightly, and then he lifted his head and sighed. "I suppose we should get ready, then. The sun will be up soon, and you'll want to be settled before that."

"Definitely." Regulus gave Gaius a little squeeze in return before releasing him. "I'll go and change, and you can join me in the bedroom when you're ready." 

"I'll hurry." Releasing him and stepping back, Gaius turned and headed for his room, obviously intent on being ready as quickly as possible.

Regulus went to his bedroom, leaving the door open as he fetched his pajamas and changed into them. He doubted Gaius would return before he was clothed again, and even if Gaius caught him in a state of semi-undress, he didn't care as much now as he once might have. Once he was in his comfortable sleep clothes, he turned back the covers, plumped the pillows, and crawled into bed, moving to the middle to leave space for Gaius. He'd barely gotten settled when Gaius came in, dressed in dark flannel pajamas, and immediately crawled in beside him, cuddling up close.

"I don't want this to be the last day we ever get to do this," Gaius said, wrapping a possessive arm around Regulus' waist. "We've not had enough time together. Not nearly enough."

Rolling onto his side and facing Gaius, Regulus draped his arm across Gaius' waist in return. "No, we haven't," he agreed. "It figures just when I started seeing the benefits of having you around, something would come along to interrupt." 

"Then we're just going to have to deal with Sirius as quickly as possible so that we can get back to our regularly scheduled lives." There was a hint of wistfulness in Gaius' eyes. "I will miss this. I'll miss you, since I've no doubt Sirius will split us up as quickly as possible. Just because he can."

"No doubt," Regulus said sourly, grimacing at the thought. "I'm sure he'll do everything he can to make us both miserable, assuming he doesn't kill us straight-away." 

"We just have to show him that we're stronger than he is." Gaius nodded firmly, a determined set to his lips. "Werewolves understand strength; we _respect_ it. If you can show the others your purpose is stronger than Sirius', they'll instinctively look to you. The one thing you must never do is back down from Sirius. That would show weakness."

"Not to worry," Regulus said, his expression grim. "I've no intention of backing down or showing weakness. Sirius has lots to answer for as far as I'm concerned." 

Gaius moved a hand to caress Regulus' forehead, smoothing his fingers over the frown lines. "He'll answer," he murmured. "He'll not come between us. No matter how hard he tries."

"Of course not." Regulus felt the tension in his face relaxing at Gaius' touch, and he even managed a small smile. "He can't break the bond, and as long as we have that, there's nothing he can do to really hurt us." 

"No, he can't," Gaius agreed. He smiled, and then he gave Regulus the same appealing look Regulus had teased him about earlier. "Can your puppy ask you for a kiss before you go to sleep?"

Instead of responding with words, Regulus cupped Gaius' cheek and leaned in to brush his lips lightly against Gaius', the contact evoking a pleasurable tingle; the light kiss wasn't quite enough, and so he returned for another, lingering this time. 

Gaius' eyes slid closed, and he kissed Regulus back, his pleasure echoing along the bond, his heartbeat quickening in response. Regulus could feel his own body reacting, and he made the reluctant choice to draw back before they began feeding each other's arousal along the bond; dawn was approaching rapidly, and even if it wasn't, he was reluctant to make a hasty decision about sex because he'd been swept up in a feedback loop of passion. Instead, he dropped a kiss on Gaius' nose and stroked his hair before pulling him close. 

"There. Will you sleep better now?" he asked. 

"Yes." There was contentment in Gaius' tone, and he cuddled closer, sighing softly. "How about you?"

"I believe so, yes," Regulus murmured, closing his eyes as he felt the tug of oblivion at his consciousness. "Good night, puppy." 

There was a soft chuckle, and then Gaius leaned close, kissing the corner of Regulus' mouth before replying in a voice that was even softer, so low that Regulus could barely hear it. "Good night, love."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	14. Chapter 14

Coming back to the pack's lair was not something Gaius ever expected to do, and certainly not as a prisoner. But that was what he was now, shackled and bound and barely able to do more than shuffle along for the chain binding his feet together. The werewolves leading him and Regulus to Sirius were some of the more brutish members of the pack, men who had been violent even before the bite had turned them into werewolves. Shock troops, Sirius had called them; they had been recruited to fight vampires, not for any other reason. And they made up more and more of the pack as time went on and the war had gotten more vicious. 

A gun butt slammed into the back of Gaius' legs. "Faster, traitor!" the werewolf beside him growled as Gaius stumbled and almost fell. 

Regulus maneuvered himself so that he could help, silently offering a steadying hand, albeit awkwardly since he was bound as well.

Gaius looked at Regulus, and he couldn't help for a brief moment letting his doubt and fear show. Regulus seemed convinced they'd get through this, but Gaius was far less certain. He _knew_ Sirius, knew the werewolves in a way Regulus simply couldn't, and he didn't think their chances were quite as good. But then he smiled at Regulus; it wouldn't do for Regulus to worry about him and be distracted from whatever was going to happen by wondering if Gaius was going to panic and do something unpredictable. Not when Regulus was about to discover that for a werewolf, Gaius was about as stable as he could wish for.

It was a big difference from that evening, too, when they'd woken all warm and cozy in the big bed, with Regulus pressed against him and wrapped around him. There were so many things Gaius wanted to say, to _do_ , but he couldn't. Regulus seemed content that what might possibly be their last hours together be spent like this, so Gaius accepted it. It was hard in some ways to have Regulus physically so close and yet still so far away, but there was no help for it now. He just hoped they'd have a chance for more, to see where things between them were going.

After they'd gotten up - Gaius with great reluctance - they'd met with Severus and Remus, doing some strategizing before meeting with Sayid again. Then they'd followed Sayid's directions; one of the guards had driven them out to the middle of nowhere, and as soon as the guard had driven away, they'd started walking east along an empty road. They'd walked for quite a time, and Gaius wondered if it was Sirius' plan to have Regulus' caught out by the dawn with no hope of cover. But that wouldn't have allowed Sirius the satisfaction of watching Regulus suffer, and not long after midnight, they'd been ambushed, taken captive, bound and blindfolded and hustled into the back of a truck and driven... here. Gaius thought it was part of the same tunnel system where the pack had its lair, but if so, it was a section he was unfamiliar with. There was also a difference in the weapons the werewolves wore, and the furnishings he spotted as they moved along. No doubt it was spoils from the vampire's mansion, the elegant things seeming out of place with the bare concrete floors and walls, the stolen velvet and leather clothing jarring when worn on dirty, unshaven werewolves.

They were led to an open chamber, one not as large as the central chamber the werewolves had previously used. There was a lot of what must have been the furniture from the mansion, and Sirius was there, sitting in a chair that was first cousin to a throne. They were pushed toward him, and Gaius didn't like the look in Sirius' eyes, the way his mouth twisted. He'd expected satisfaction or victory perhaps, but not this sick look of hatred mixed with something that looked almost like longing when Sirius caught sight of his brother.

"On your knees!" the werewolf behind them hissed, and then he pushed Gaius down so that he was kneeling.

Regulus knelt without being prodded, moving with a slow and easy grace, and he regarded Sirius calmly. "Hello, brother. Nice chair," he said with dry amusement.

Sirius leaned forward, glaring at Regulus. "Yes, it is, isn't it?" he hissed. "It should be, after all the well-kissed vampire arses which have occupied it over the centuries. Voldemort, and Gellert, and Bellatrix... but that's all over now. It's mine now. I won, and they lost. To the victors, go the spoils... _Brother_."

"From what I understand, Gellert did most of the work," Regulus replied, lifting his chin. "You just came along to clean up the field."

Gaius couldn't believe that Regulus was antagonizing Sirius so, and his eyes widened as he looked at Regulus in mute appeal. Even though he hadn't thought that Sirius really wanted Regulus dead, there was no telling how Sirius might react, and from the look of fury on Sirius' face, it was possible this whole thing might be over more quickly than he'd imagined. Weapon or no weapon, Sirius might just lose his temper and kill Regulus right there. And as Sirius rose from his chair and took a step toward them, Gaius tensed, his body suddenly going rigid as he fought down the instinct to protect Regulus if Sirius attacked. He'd promised to keep himself safe, after all... but it would be the most difficult promise he'd ever had to keep if he had to live through more encounters like this one.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	15. Chapter 15

Contrary to what everyone who knew him would likely think, Regulus didn't want to antagonize Sirius. What he wanted to do was sit down, explain the situation, and come to a rational agreement, but he knew what Sirius would expect from him. If he walked in and tried to make peace right away, it would only rouse Sirius' suspicions, and it was going to be difficult enough to convince Sirius to let go of his old grudges without adding an extra layer of suspicion.

He braced himself when Sirius surged to his feet and moved towards them, expecting to be struck, but he didn't back down, and he didn't look away, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

"You think you're so damned good: the perfect son, the vampire, the one who was always favored over me," Sirius growled, staring down at them. It was no doubt a power play, one to make Regulus feel insignificant, to give Sirius the advantage of speaking from the "higher ground", but it was a transparent move to someone who had been surrounded by politics and political posturing for centuries. "You're not so favored now."

"I wouldn't say I was ever favored," Regulus replied, throwing out a teasing hint in hopes that Sirius would take the bait; he didn't expect to get through right away, but if he could chip away at Sirius' resistance, bit by bit, perhaps they might all come out of this alive and well. "Not knowing what I do now."

As he'd hoped, Sirius stopped, looking down at him suspiciously. "What in the hell do you mean?" Sirius snapped. "All I heard was that _you_ were the perfect son, _you_ were the one with the intelligence, the talent... everything they wanted! You were just weak! I was the eldest. _I_ should have been chosen! But they wanted the weak-minded fool instead!"

"No doubt my obedience had something to do with it," Regulus acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "But it wasn't an honor or a compliment that they chose me over you; it was pragmatism. I had a skill they saw as useful, and they chose me so they could shape me into exactly what they wanted and use my skill to their advantage. That's all there was to it."

"It wasn't that simple, and you know it!" Sirius glowered, pointing a finger at Regulus. "It doesn't matter _why_! You ate it up! You lorded it over me, pretending you were so perfect, so much better than me! You were given _everything_ , everything that should have been mine!" There was an almost whining undercurrent to the accusations, a bitterness that was obvious. Sirius had let all this fester for centuries, and he was going to fight tooth and nail until he "won".

"In hindsight, I wish you'd gotten it," Regulus said simply. It was nothing more than the truth; he wasn't sure being chosen and "special" was worth all the disillusionment that had gone along with it. He didn't think Sirius could have fit in with the vampires, but he wasn't sure living and dying as a mortal as he'd meant to as the second son was such a bad fate, either. 

"You bastard! You arrogant, insufferable prick!" Sirius screamed, his eyes glowing with hatred. "You are mocking me! Well, _brother_ , I took it from you for too long, and I don't have to take it any longer. _I_ have the power now! You will bow to _my_ will, the way you bowed to your vampire masters. I have you, and I am going to make you suffer. I'm going to _break_ you. You will do everything... everything I tell you to do! In the end, you will lick my boots and call _me_ master!"

 _So much for rational discussion_ , Regulus thought sourly. The outburst was alarming and more vitriolic than Regulus had expected, but at least it made Sirius' motives more clear. The weapon was a tool - a means to an end - but what Sirius really wanted was to exact the pound of flesh he had convinced himself he deserved from Regulus. But there was no guarantee that Sirius wouldn't murder the surviving vampires anyway even if Regulus gave him whatever he wanted, and Regulus wasn't willing to bend so easily anymore.

"No," he said calmly. "I won't."

Sirius went still at that, and his eyes went from burning to chillingly cold. He smiled as though somehow Regulus had said exactly what he wanted to hear. "Oh, yes, you will. I've learned a thing or two in the last few centuries, you see. I've learned about how to do the same sorts of things our parents did, as Bellatrix did: finding someone's weak spot, and using it to make them do what you want them to do." 

Turning, Sirius walked back to his chair and sat down, his gaze moving to Gaius. "I've not forgotten you, little traitor. Did you think I had? Oh, no. I should be grateful to you, since you enabled my escape. So foolish, so trusting. But you gave me the key, didn't you? In more ways than one."

Gaius looked alarmed, and he slid a glance at Regulus before licking his lips. It was obvious that Sirius was waiting for him to speak, and Gaius did, his voice low. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you aren't the only one who listened to James." Sirius gave a nasty chuckle. "He told me all about how things were, how they 'should be'... and I listened and remembered. He was wrong, of course. We'll never go back to being the slaves of the vampires, their daylight servants! I had thought James was romanticizing the things he told us, but he wasn't, was he? Vampires and werewolves _can_ be bonded... as you are bonded to my brother."

"What?" It wasn't really a question, but a groan that Gaius gave. "Sirius, no, you are wrong!"

Regulus was chilled to the core by the implied threat Sirius' words carried. He'd been afraid that Gaius would be caught in the crossfire and end up an unnecessary casualty in Sirius' private war, and in the face of Sirius' bitter loathing, he wasn't sure duct-taping Gaius to a chair and leaving without him wasn't a more merciful fate than whatever Sirius had planned. For the moment, he remained silent, watching and waiting to see if Sirius knew or was merely bluffing.

"Oh no, traitor, I'm right." Sirius' gaze flicked to Regulus. "Aren't I, brother? I caught Gaius mooning over your portrait a century ago. I should have known he was besotted then. Then he was so quick to defend you, so passionate about ending the war when he had the stupidity to come to me to plead your pathetic case. And it dawned on me. Why would my brother, who spent hundreds of years doing everything to kill werewolves, even coming up with an invention to wipe all of us off the face of the earth, suddenly have a complete change of heart? What could make him accept a werewolf even being in his presence? There was only one thing: if the two of you were bonded. So when I escaped, I left little Gaius here alive, knowing you'd go mad if he died... just as James went mad with the desire to kill after Lily died. I knew if I got you here, if you were bonded, then he'd have to come - and here he is! It wasn't all just superstition or James' romantic bleatings about his lost love. I don't know why or how, but it happened." Sirius stopped, his lips twisting again. "You always did take everything I wanted."

"I didn't take him," Regulus retorted. Obviously, Sirius had deduced the truth, and there was no point in trying to convince him otherwise. "You knew him a hell of a long time before I ever met him, and you couldn't get his attention, so this is one thing you can't blame on me. He's not some _object_ you can hoard like a dog with a bone. He can choose whoever he wants, and if he didn't choose you, it's your own fault, not mine."

"Shut up!" Sirius barked the words, and one of the nearby guards raised the butt of his gun and glared down at Regulus, threatening to hit him if he disobeyed Sirius' command. "All that matters now is that you've given me what I want... and you will do what I want! I have seven vampires from your precious clan, and I will kill one every day until you make that weapon into one that will kill vampires instead of werewolves! I know there are others out there, ones that escaped when Gellert attacked, and I want them! I want to have the power in my hands to wipe you all out. That way, you will serve _us_ , instead of the other way around! And if you refuse, I'll kill your little bond-mate right in front of your eyes. But I'll make him suffer first. I'll let every werewolf here have their way with him and make you watch."

Regulus stared at him in mute horror, stunned by the horrific depths to which Sirius was willing to sink; his own brother was no better than Voldemort, and he wasn't sure whether to be more furious or saddened by the knowledge. He struggled to come up with a solution, something - _anything_ \- he could say or do to prevent any losses, but he couldn't think of anything. Either way he chose, it was a lose-lose situation. Either way, he would be the cause of someone's death.

He glanced at Gaius, who was pale and visibly shaken, and he knew what his choice would be. Once he might have turned Gaius over to the werewolves' tender mercies without a qualm, but not now. No one deserved that fate, and he knew he couldn't bear to watch it - or to see Gaius' trust in him shattered.

"I'll do it," he said, his voice low and tight as he looked up at Sirius again. "I'll modify the weapon."

Sirius smiled, his expression smug. "I thought you'd see reason, eventually; one simply has to know how to find the right... motivation," he drawled, apparently quite satisfied with the results of his threats. He gestured to a guard. "Take my brother to the lab, and keep a close eye on him. He wouldn't dare make the weapon kill all werewolves, because he'd kill his bond-mate in the process, but he might try to sabotage it. And take Gaius to my quarters. I think it's time he and I had a little private talk."

The guards yanked on the chains, and Gaius lurched to his feet. There was resignation on his face and a defeated slump to his shoulders. "I'm sorry... this is all my fault," he said, looking at Regulus with a wealth of guilt and sadness in his eyes. Then he suddenly lurched against the chains, bringing him closer to Regulus. "Please be careful!"

"I will," Regulus replied tersely as he too struggled to his feet and faced Sirius, his hands clenched into fists, and when he spoke, his voice was full of cold fury. "If you hurt him, I'll know. If you coerce him into anything, I'll know. And that will be the end of it. You can kill every hostage right in front of me and end the show by killing me, but I won't lift a finger to help you anymore."

It was partly a bluff; he knew he would be able to tell if Gaius was in pain, but he didn't know if he would be able to tell if Sirius did something more insidious, like threaten to harm Regulus if Gaius didn't have sex with him. He didn't put it past Sirius to do such a thing so he could gloat about 'taking back' what was rightfully his, and the mere thought filled Regulus with possessive rage. He had no idea what might happen between himself and Gaius if they survived, but he found himself very much against anyone else touching Gaius.

"Don't worry, your precious little traitor will be safe as long as _you_ do what I want," Sirius replied. He stood and walked toward them, stopping by Gaius' side and lifting a lock of Gaius' hair, twisting it about his finger, while Gaius went rigid. "But don't press me too far, my brother. If I kill you, or one of my guards gets an itchy trigger finger, then you won't be here to protect him, will you? You've no choice except to give me what I want. Admit it. I've won. I have everything, and there is nothing you can do!"

"If you kill me or someone gets an itchy trigger finger, _you_ won't get your weapon," Regulus pointed out with grim satisfaction. "You can't afford to get rid of me until it's complete, so unless you want to end this right now and murder both of us where we stand, bound and unarmed, because you don't really care about the weapon, then you have to keep me alive. You haven't won everything. Not yet."

Sirius snarled, yanking hard on Gaius' hair and ripping part of it out as he stepped back. "Get them out of my sight!" he hissed. "Or else I might do exactly that, and then it would be over too soon!"

Regulus fought to keep his expression impassive as the guards hauled them away roughly, not wanting to give Sirius any excuse to call them back or make good on his threat. No doubt Sirius felt like he'd lost this round and would come up with some means of making them pay for it, but Regulus knew Sirius had the upper hand in this situation. Sirius had the hostages and Gaius, and Regulus wanted both back, alive and in one piece. He was under no illusions that he would manage to save all of the hostages, however; as painful as it was, he knew some of them were going to die if Sirius followed through with his threat, and Regulus now had cause to regret ever using the term 'acceptable losses' before. There were no such things, not anymore.

But he would do his best, and maybe it would be good enough in the end.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	16. Chapter 16

If there was one thing Severus hated, it was waiting.

He had to endure it, however, as he paced the floor in his office, waiting for the guards who'd driven Regulus and Gaius out to return. He would have preferred to go with them, but he knew it was folly even before Regulus could open his mouth to protest. Things were too uncertain, and at the moment, they were playing to the whims of a werewolf whose motives were still not completely clear and whose resources and will to carry out his threats were uncertain. Gaius seemed to think that Sirius meant every word, and certainly Regulus didn't seem to want to put it to the test. So that left Severus behind, to chafe at his inability to do anything to help his friend and to curse what little he'd been able to do to aid Regulus in preparing.

If Sirius Black had been in front of him at that moment, Severus would cheerfully have wrung his neck. In fact, his biggest regret was in not doing exactly that the moment he'd had Black locked up in a cell.

Approaching footsteps caught his attention, and he turned to the door just in time to see Remus walk in. Remus' warm smile shifted to a concerned frown as he approached Severus, and he slid his arms around Severus' waist, giving him a little squeeze.

"You did everything you could," he said, as if divining the direction of Severus' thoughts. "It's up to them now."

Severus wrapped his arms around Remus, even as he gave a grumbling sigh. "I know. But I hate feeling helpless," he replied, taking some small measure of comfort in Remus' warmth and closeness. "I am much better having a problem I can solve with a full frontal assault. Regulus was the patient one, him and his toys. I prefer action."

"Well..." Remus mused, looking lost in thought for a moment. "Regulus and Gaius going to confront Sirius was Plan A, right? We never promised not to develop a Plan B that involves going in after them or providing back-up. We may not have vampires to give us a little immortal boost, but we've got our men and lots of weapons and all kinds of technology we could use to make up for it. Why don't we get Sayid and Montgomery from the R&D Department in here and have a strategy session?"

"An excellent idea. You're intelligent as well as ornamental," Severus replied, cheered by the thought of having something to do besides wear a path in the expensive carpet. He kissed Remus soundly, and then he nodded to one of the guards. "If you will, please send for them, and by all means, if any of you have any ideas, speak up! I don't bite. Much."

The guard nodded, a glint of amusement in his eye as he exited the room, but his remaining companion smiled wryly. "Sorry, sir, strategy isn't my strongest skill." 

Severus wasn't surprised, really; he appreciated the guards' loyalty and their apparent forbearance with the current situation. If the guards had walked out, their situation would be far more precarious.

"That's all right," Severus replied. "Only Remus is perfect."

Remus rolled his eyes, but he smiled too and squeezed Severus again. "I do try to earn my keep." He lowered his voice for Severus' ears alone. "And not just in ways that involve sex."

"You do so... brilliantly, I might say, in all departments." Severus wasn't normally one to offer praise, but in Remus' case, it was different. Maybe whatever bond they had made him softer toward Remus, but if so, he didn't mind it in the least. "Now then, if you are through distracting me with talk of sex - unless you think we can accomplish it before Sayid and Montgomery walk in - do you think you have the infirmary set up as you wish? Is there anything you want changed?"

"Not right now, there isn't," Remus replied, his smile returning wider than ever. "It's fabulous! It's far more advanced than anywhere I would have worked in the human world, and everything is designed and run to maximize efficiency. I'm satisfied with the few little tweaks and changes I've made."

"Good," Severus said, tightening his arm around Remus. "I was wondering if, while we have men out in the field, so to speak, you thought we should have... I don't know. Some emergency type preparations? It seems like between Gaius and Sayid, and God knows what might happen to Regulus, we tend to operate in some kind of crisis mode half the time. Or do you think you're ready for that now?"

"I think we can handle it as long as the casualties aren't massive," Remus replied, nodding an affirmation. "We couldn't handle a heavy influx of casualties at this point, but ten or so at one time is within our comfort zone. I think Gryffindor intended the hospital wing to handle the occasional injury from reconnaissance missions, not the casualties of an all-out war."

"Not surprising. I don't think he ever expected things to go as far as they did." Severus took Remus' hand and walked toward the desk, settling down in a chair and pulling another one for Remus close by. He'd have preferred to settle Remus in his lap, but that didn't seem professional for the kind of meeting they were going to have. "I assume Sayid is well enough for this, or else you'd have him tied down in the infirmary, no matter how he protested."

"He's much better," Remus affirmed as he took a seat in the chair Severus had situated for him. "I get the feeling he'd jump at the chance to retaliate against Sirius, too, and I think this might help along his recuperation more than being bed-ridden for another night."

"Does he realize what you are, do you think?" Severus asked. He'd seen the negative reaction Sayid had to Gaius, and he'd not wanted to point out that the doctor with his hands all over Sayid's injured body was half-werewolf.

"He knows," Remus replied, leaning back in his chair comfortably and crossing his legs. "I told him. If he's going to remain here, then he needs to know - and accept - the kind of company he's keeping. He was shocked, but he didn't demand that I stop treating him, so I think that's a good sign."

"Yes, it definitely is," Severus said with satisfaction. If other vampires - assuming they were able to retrieve them alive - reacted and adapted that well, perhaps there was hope for the peace they had been envisioning. He looked up at the sound of footsteps, smiling slightly as he saw Sayid, followed by Montgomery, one of the chief researchers from Godric's staff of what Gaius had called "Bright Young Men". 

Severus rose to greet them. "You're looking much better, Sayid," he commented. The man's swarthy skin no longer had an underlying sickly pallor. Sayid was one vampire who never looked pale due to his natural coloration. "I'm glad to see it."

"Thank you." Sayid smiled a greeting at Severus, and if he wasn't quite as warm when he looked at Remus, his greeting was at least respectful. "I feel better, although I'm quite concerned about Regulus. I don't suppose we'll know anything one way or another for a few more days at least, though."

"At least twenty four hours. He was quite adamant about that," Severus acknowledged. He gestured to chairs on the other side of the desk. "Please, have a seat. Remus had the excellent suggestion that we brainstorm contingency plans for getting Regulus, Gaius, and the other vampires out. Sayid, you had the names of the vampires you were with, and since they were in your department, I'm sure you know their skills better than anyone. We should keep that in mind as we're planning, since some unusual ability of one of them could be useful and might give us an edge we'd otherwise not have."

Sayid took a seat before answering, and when he did, his expression was rueful. "There were seven survivors other than me. All of us worked with Regulus. One or two of them are good shots, but none of them are exceptional in any way, not like Regulus. They're engineers and mechanics, but they're followers, not inventors or fighters. None of them were Death Eaters. I'll write up a report on who they are and what they can do tonight, if you like."

"Yes, thank you," Severus replied, frowning thoughtfully as he tapped his chin. "I suppose I had high hopes that there might be one or two of them like Regulus; given enough time, he'd be able to construct a hand grenade out of string, rock dust, and fingernail clippings."

"Unfortunately not," Sayid replied.

"Ah, well." Remus chuckled and reached out to squeeze Severus' knee. "I suppose it would be too much to hope for two vampire MacGyvers in the world."

Montgomery, the human, had taken the seat next to Sayid, and he gave a snort of amusement at Remus' reference.

Severus laid a hand over Remus', returning the pressure and enjoying the feeling of Remus' warm skin. "Apparently so," he replied. "Well, it is worth keeping in mind. Otherwise what we have on the inside is Regulus - which is no small resource, of course - the few little things he was able to carry in, the transponders we injected the two of them with, and Gaius' knowledge of the pack and any way they might be able to manipulate it. On the outside, we have... us, and a vast amount of resources, but we have to operate under certain... not restrictions, but caveats. First is that we are trying to end the war, not prolong it, so we can't go in as we would have in the past and just kill everything in that gets in our way. Second is that if, by some horrible circumstance, Sirius has managed to get that damned weapon to work, we might be setting ourselves up for annihilation. Anything else that anyone can think of?"

"Third, we need to be as stealthy as possible," Sayid said. "Sirius wouldn't hesitate to execute the others just to keep us from retrieving them if he has enough lead time."

"Biohazard suits," Montgomery piped up, seemingly apropos of nothing, and he flushed as he quickly explained. "I was thinking about the weapon. Regulus said it was biochemical in nature, so if you go in wearing biohazard suits, you'll be protected if it goes off, as long as you can prevent your suit from being punctured."

"Not an easy task when you're being shot at, clawed, or bitten," Remus said dryly.

"I could have a look and see if they can be reinforced with Kevlar," Sayid volunteered. "It would be a patch job, but it might get us through."

"Good, good," Severus said, pleased with the suggestions. Even if nothing came of any of it, it was better to be _thinking_ , to have the illusion of productivity rather than simply sitting there doing nothing. "What about ways to accomplish the stealth or weapons we could use to disable the werewolves?"

"How about tranquilizer rounds combined with a gas to knock them out?" Montgomery spoke up again. "We've got various gas bombs, but if you don't want the deadly ones, we can use the knock-out ones. If you use tranquilizer rounds and silencers, you won't draw attention with gunfire, and you can try to knock them out before they see you or raise an alarm."

"If we can be sure the tranquilizer dosage won't accidentally kill them," Severus said slowly, considering Montgomery's suggestion. He looked at Remus. "I know nothing about werewolf physiology, and in the past, I wouldn't have cared about accidentally offing a few of them, but now we have to consider it. Would the dosage have to change between their human and transformed states?"

"It might," Remus said slowly.

"I can help with that," Montgomery said. "Mr. Gryffindor had a lot of experience with this - lots of research on vampire and werewolf physiology. I'll bring the documents to the infirmary after the meeting, and we can get started."

"That works for me, if Severus thinks it's a good idea," Remus said, looking questioningly at Severus.

"Perfect," Severus replied, squeezing Remus' hand again. He didn't know how all of this would play out, but at least they were trying, and that beat sitting around and waiting any day.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	17. Chapter 17

If Regulus had still been human, he would have been sweating. It wasn't only the oppressiveness of the cramped room that passed for a lab in the werewolves' lair, but also the pressure he was under to show progress without actually making any progress on the weapon. It didn't help that Sirius had left five guards - two inside the door, two outside the door, and one patrolling the corridor - in place, as if one unarmed vampire would overpower anything less and escape. Either Sirius was flaunting his power, or he had greater respect for Regulus' abilities than Regulus had ever suspected.

It was getting close to dawn, and Regulus deliberately hadn't finished the weapon, even though he knew someone's life would be forfeit; he hadn't had enough time to talk to Sirius and figure out a way to diffuse his anger, and he needed more time, despite the cost. With a sigh, he brushed a stray lock of hair back from his face and leaned back in his seat, throwing down the screwdriver in his hand. No doubt the guards would be marching him back to his cell so he could be locked up tight and have a bag of blood before he went dormant, anyway.

There was a perfunctory knock at the door, and one of the guards opened it a crack, peering outside for a moment before stepping back. The door opened the rest of the way, and Sirius stalked in, frowning, trailed by Gaius, whose feet were still shackled, but his hands were free. Another guard, gun drawn, followed after them.

"Still not finished?" Sirius snapped, pointing to the screwdriver Regulus had tossed. "You don't seem to understand, brother, exactly what your position here is. Or perhaps you don't believe I'll follow through on my threats. Well, let me disabuse you right now." He held out a hand to the guard, who passed over a red piece of cloth to Sirius. Sirius held it up, then threw it on the table in front of Regulus where it landed with a wet sounding plop. Up close, he could see it was a shirt, but that the red wasn't the color; it was from being drenched in blood. "That is your fault."

The scent of fresh blood - vampire blood - wafted up to Regulus' nose, and he recoiled, sickened by the evidence of a death he was indirectly responsible for. All the reminders that he was doing this for a greater good were cold comfort in the face of knowing he'd caused a former friend's death. All he could hope was that it had been quick.

"I'm a genius, not a miracle-worker," he said hoarsely, glaring balefully at Sirius. "We won't get into what you are."

"What I am is the person who has your life and the life of your lover in my hands," Sirius replied coldly. Reaching out, he grabbed Gaius' collar and yanked him forward. "Speaking of which, just to show you I can be merciful, too, Gaius has told me that because you are bonded, you need to touch each other at least once per day or you begin to suffer some sort of withdrawal symptoms. Since I need you functional, I'll permit it... but don't try anything, or I'll have him shot while you watch, and damn the weapon."

Gaius had almost stumbled, but he caught himself, straightening with his back to Sirius. There was a wealth of relief in his eyes as he looked at Regulus, and he held out his hands toward him. "Are you all right?" he asked, his gaze intent on Regulus' face. "I've missed you."

"I'm better now that you're here," Regulus murmured, reaching out to frame Gaius' face between his hands, savoring the pleasurable tingle he felt at the skin-to-skin contact. He was powerless in this situation, but he wasn't alone, and that helped. "I've missed you too," he added, surprising himself by speaking the sentimental words aloud because they were true, not because he wanted to needle Sirius.

He'd felt his isolation keenly with Gaius being held somewhere far from the lab, the separation making the bond throb with a low key ache that he imagined had been far more intense for Gaius, and while he'd known Gaius wasn't hurt, that didn't stop his mind from jumping to horrific conclusions about what else might be happening. Anger at Sirius overruled his good sense, and at the moment, he didn't care about trying not to antagonize Sirius and make things worse, spurring him to bend his head and claim a kiss.

Gaius didn't question what Regulus did; he simply moved into the embrace as naturally as though Regulus had been kissing him for centuries. His arms slid around Regulus' waist, and he returned the kiss with a soft moan, as though Regulus' touch was a balm for all the hurts in the world.

Regulus was finding the contact comforting as well, and when he broke away from the kiss, he ended it by nuzzling Gaius' cheek, soaking up Gaius' warmth while he could. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"As well as can be expected," Gaius replied raggedly.

"Enough!" Sirius growled, and Gaius pulled back with a sigh of regret, catching Regulus' hands in his and holding them for a moment.

"Not nearly enough," Gaius said, and Regulus could see his face was flushed and his lips were pink from the kiss. Gaius squeezed his hands, and for a moment, his gaze was intense, as though he was trying to give Regulus a message. Then Gaius stepped away, and as he slowly released Regulus' hands, Regulus could feel something between their palms.

"No, not nearly enough," Regulus said, trying to distract Sirius with a display of smugness as he hid whatever Gaius had slipped him in his sleeve.

Gaius smiled wryly before Sirius grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him away from Regulus. 

"It will have to do, because that's all you're getting." Sirius' look was thunderous, and he pointed at the device on the worktable. "If you don't have that finished in twenty-four hours, another vampire dies. Don't forget that when you're lying in your bed, missing your lover's touch."

Regulus looked at the blood-soaked rag on his worktable, his expression darkening. "I won't forget," he said flatly.

"Good. Until tomorrow then, brother," Sirius said. He turned, putting a hand low on one of Gaius' hips as he steered Gaius out of the room. Gaius risked a glance back over his shoulder at Regulus, one that conveyed sympathy and hope, and then he was gone. The guard by the door shut it and took up his position by it, his face impassive.

Regulus stared at the closed door for a moment longer, and then he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck as he surveyed the jumble of parts on the worktable, more provoked by Sirius' callous death-dealing than by his blatant display with Gaius. Regulus didn't like Sirius touching Gaius, but at the same time, he knew it was an empty gesture; Gaius didn't welcome the touch, and Sirius' show of power and possessiveness was just that: a show with no substance.

With dawn nearing, he wasn't going to 'work' anymore; instead, he turned his back to the guards and went to the far side of the room on the pretense of sorting through his tools, using the opportunity to find out what Gaius had slipped him. He withdrew what turned out to be a small, tightly folded slip of paper, and he unfolded it as unobtrusively as he could, scanning the contents quickly.

_Dear Regulus -_

_I have to keep this brief; if you're reading this, my ploy to get Sirius to allow me the opportunity to slip it to you worked. I'm not being mistreated, but things are definitely tense and uncomfortable. Sirius keeps asking me about you, wanting to know everything I know. Oddly enough, his questions don't seem sinister, like he wants to use the information against you; it is more like a case of him trying to fathom you, a man he no longer really knows even though he's carried this hatred of you around for centuries. He seems serious about the weapon and about killing the vampires to make you cooperate, but something seems off as well. I can't figure out what it is, even though I've known Sirius longer than I've known you._

_I'm sorry for all this. I wish I knew what to do to help, to end it._

_I hope you are well, but I'm certain you aren't, for I know the pressure must be hard. I can feel it to an extent from the bond, and I long to help. I will do what I can, and hopefully, I'll be able to send you another note tomorrow. Until then, know that you have my support, my trust, and anything I can give you. I have faith in you._

_Yours, Gaius  
_

Regulus re-folded the note and slipped it into his pocket, heartened by the affirmation that Gaius wasn't being hurt or coerced; it was clever of him to think of writing a note, and Regulus was glad of it, since it might be the only way they could communicate in any real way while they were here. He was intrigued, too, by the information about Sirius, and he knew it was something he needed to think about and see if he could use Sirius' curiosity to his advantage.

Footsteps alerted him to the approach of the guards inside the room, and he turned to face them, ready to return to his cell for the day. When he awoke, he would have a new set of challenges to deal with, but for the time being, however, there was nothing he could do. And with Gaius' note in his pocket, he felt a little less alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	18. Chapter 18

If time was relative, Gaius thought it must be that creepy uncle who made people nervous at holidays.

He snorted with dour amusement as he paced back and forth in the room where he was being held. It wasn't a cell, and it had all the basic comforts except for books, but to Gaius, it would still have been a prison no matter if it had been the most luxuriously furnished room with an entire wall of books. It wasn't the lack of freedom or even the guards who were posted outside the door. No, it was the isolation from Regulus, which caused the bond to ache and left him agitated and restless. He couldn't settle down, couldn't lose himself in anything, not when every instinct he had was urging him to find some way to escape and reach Regulus. 

His idea of the previous day to slip Regulus a note had worked, thank goodness, and he felt a small bit of satisfaction in knowing that he'd at least made some contact with Regulus and had gotten the best of Sirius in the bargain. And in the process, he'd assured that Sirius would let him see Regulus again today.

As sunrise began to approach, Gaius grew even more restless. He'd penned another note to Regulus, even though he didn't have much more to add to what he'd written the previous day. Sirius hadn't been around as much today, and he didn't know if it was because Sirius had run out of questions about Regulus at last or if there were other things on his mind. It was a relief in a way not to have Sirius asking uncomfortable questions which meant Gaius risked enraging him with an unsatisfactory answer, but at the same time, the fact that he didn't know what was going on was maddening and far more frightening in some ways. He could feel Regulus via the bond, although he wasn't certain if the frustration and concern he fancied he felt through that tenuous contact was actually coming from Regulus or was his own projection of the situation. Whatever the truth of the feelings, he kept his own doubts out of the note, limiting it to expressions of faith in Regulus, hope that they would be able to find a way out of their predicament, and assurances that he wasn't being mistreated. Enforced boredom might be a form of torture to him, but he knew things could be infinitely worse.

A sound at the door caused him to turn from his contemplation of a blank wall, and he found one of the guards had entered and was glaring at him. "Time to go, traitor," the werewolf snarled at him. Gaius kept his face impassive and moved toward the door at a casual pace, despite his desire to run as fast as he could so that he could finally see Regulus. Outside the door, a second guard took up position behind them, which made Gaius want to roll his eyes. If there was any werewolf who was less of a physical threat than Gaius, it was only because the poor sod was on his deathbed.

He was led into a room where Sirius sat at a desk, reading over something that appeared to be hand-written on sheets of rumpled paper. That was odd, since he'd never imagined Sirius in any kind of administrative capacity, but what was horrifying was the large bloodstain on the floor in front of the desk. Gaius drew in a breath, and he could smell the sweet, heady scent of vampire blood; if it weren't for the fact that he could feel Regulus along the bond, he would have panicked. As it was, he was sickened and saddened by the obvious display Sirius was putting on, as though the murder of another creature in cold blood was nothing more than a routine occurrence that didn't disturb him in the slightest.

Gaius said nothing, however, and after a few moments, Sirius glanced over at him, his expression of detachment belied by the gleam in his pale eyes, as though Sirius were enjoying the expression of horror and disgust on Gaius' face. "Regulus will be with us in a moment," he said, pushing back his chair and rising to his feet. He looked over at the stain. "See what your lover has caused? This is his fault, not mine. If he was as brilliant and talented as everyone always claimed, he'd have finished up by now and saved that vampire from a messy end."

It was hard not to comment, and Gaius clamped down mercilessly on the words which rose to his lips. Instead he shrugged and looked down at his nails as though he were bored, but he had to clench his hand to keep Sirius from seeing that his fingers were trembling.

A few minutes later, Regulus arrived, flanked by four armed werewolves, and he recoiled, wrinkling his nose, obviously assailed by the scent of the blood as soon as he walked in. He flicked his gaze at the blood on the floor and then to Gaius, seeming to search him from head to toe, and Gaius thought he saw relief in Regulus' pale eyes. Regulus said nothing, even when his guards prodded him forward, and he stood in front of the desk, careful to avoid the blood, his expression impassive.

Sirius had watched Regulus' reaction, a smug smile curving his lips at the sight of Regulus' repulsion. "You might well cringe, brother. Your ineptitude has claimed a heavy price," Sirius drawled. He opened a drawer on his desk, reaching in and pulling out something which he flung at Regulus.

Instinctively, Regulus caught the object, but as soon as he saw what it was, he dropped it, and Gaius saw a blood-stained wooden stake clatter and roll on the floor.

"You won't intimidate me by acting like a cliché from a B-grade horror movie," Regulus said flatly. "If anything, you're making me less inclined to cooperate by turning the executions of my friends into your own personal melodrama."

"And yet for all the melodrama, he's no less dead," Sirius replied. "And it's your fault. Now I'm beginning to lose patience. Perhaps it's time to up the ante?"

Gaius stared at Sirius in open-mouthed horror; he'd known Sirius for a century, thought that even though Sirius was ruthless and angry, he wasn't a monster. Now, however, Gaius couldn't find any excuse to justify _this_. Stepping slightly closer to Regulus, Gaius offered him a look of support and sympathy. If he had dared, he would have reached out and taken Regulus' hand.

Regulus drew himself up proudly and met Sirius' gaze without wavering. "I told you: I'm not a miracle worker. If you want the weapon working properly, it will take time. Stacking up bodies won't make it happen any faster."

"How unfortunate for your blood-sucking associates," Sirius replied. Then he leaned over the desk. "I don't believe you for a moment. You _know_ how to finish it; you're stalling, defying me, refusing to give me the power to force every vampire in the world to my will. You probably think I'm a monster, but what is a monster? Someone to whom the deaths of others is secondary to his own motivations?" He gave a nasty smile. "I don't give a damn about those vampires. I didn't know them by name, work by their side, share a joke... perhaps sleep with them? They were never _mine_ , but they were yours. I wonder which of us they would consider the bigger monster: the man who killed them or the man who was too proud to do a simple task and let his brother win, thereby causing their deaths?"

"Oh, I think they would recognize the bigger monster," Regulus replied, folding his arms across his chest. "But it doesn't have to be this way, Sirius. Let it go. Let it all go and let's start over. We could have peace. No more fighting, no more killing. You and the rest of the werewolves could stop living like this, scavenging for what you need and hiding underground. It isn't necessary anymore. The war could be over."

"NO!" Sirius slammed his hands down on the desk, the wood cracking under lycanthrope strength, showing the depth of his anger. His face was flushed, and he balled one hand into a fist, shaking it at Regulus. "That's what you say, but you're lying. You just want to lure us in, get our trust, and go back to trying to crush us. Kill us! You want to win, Regulus. I know you do. You've always wanted what should be mine, and I know you'll do everything you can to take it!"

"No," Regulus replied quietly, lowering his arms and relaxing his defensive stance. "I don't care about winning, and I don't want anything of yours. What I want is to go home and figure out what to do with my skills other than coming up with better ways to kill. What I want is a peaceful life with no fighting and no war. With _him_ ," he added, pointing to Gaius. "There doesn't have to be a master or a servant any longer, just vampires and werewolves working and living as equals."

Gaius felt his heart swell with happiness at Regulus' words, at the affirmation that Regulus wanted to be with him. He smiled at Regulus, unable to keep the tenderness he felt from showing in his eyes. "That's what I want too," he murmured.

"Isn't this sweet?" Sirius' voice was cold, and he looked between Gaius and Regulus with an expression of icy calm that was somehow far more frightening than his obvious anger of moments before. "So true love changed the killer into a peacemaker? You really want me to believe that?"

"True love didn't do it." Regulus shook his head, gazing at Sirius steadily. "Learning the truth about the war and about our former leaders, learning everything I'd believed in was a lie - that's what changed me. The bond helped, but the truth is what set me free."

Sirius began to laugh at that, but it was a hollow sound. "I never knew you were so given to cliches, my brother." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Say goodbye, Regulus."

Regulus didn't waste any time approaching Gaius and enfolding him in a tight embrace. "I'm all right," he murmured in Gaius' ear. "Are you?"

Gaius wrapped his arms around Regulus in return, using the opportunity to slip the note into the rear pocket of Regulus' trousers. Then he relaxed into the embrace with a sigh, the bond seeming to both ease and expand now that Regulus was touching him, finally soothing the agitation which had plagued him all day. "I'm all right. I've not noted anything about the bond that indicates permanent damage," he replied. "It's the distance, though. You know I'd live in your pocket if I could."

He heard a quiet chuckle in his ear that seemed to indicate Regulus had understood what he meant. "I know," Regulus said, and then Gaius felt a brief brush of lips beneath his ear. "Be good, puppy," he murmured, his voice soft and affectionate. "Don't do anything to bring his wrath down on your head."

Gaius shivered slightly and his breath caught at the touch of Regulus' lips, and the tone of Regulus' voice warmed him. "I won't," he replied, nuzzling Regulus' cheek.

"Time for you to go, Regulus," Sirius said, motioning the guards closer. There was an impassive look on his face, which Gaius didn't like; he'd rather know what Sirius was thinking, see his obvious anger or smugness than this blank mask which left him wondering what might happen. "Gaius and I are going to have a little talk."

Regulus released Gaius, and he turned to Sirius, glaring a warning at him. "Remember what I said. If you hurt him, I'll know, and I won't do a damned thing for you. Hurt him in any way, large or small, and you won't get the victory you want. Not ever."

Sirius raised a brow. "Why, Regulus, he's your mate, isn't he? That makes him practically family, and you know how I feel about family." Sirius waved his hand, and the guards marched Regulus from the room.

Gaius felt Regulus' absence immediately, pain and longing slicing through him. He appreciated Regulus' support, but now it seemed that Sirius had something on his mind, something that Gaius would have to face by himself.

"So, little traitor, let's have a talk, shall we?" Sirius said, looking at Gaius with a smile that wasn't at all reassuring. "I want to know everything about your bond with my brother." He leaned forward over the desk. "Everything."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	19. Chapter 19

"Up, traitor! You're wanted!"

Gaius groaned as he was prodded in the back with the butt of a gun, and he opened his eyes to look around at the guard who was doing it. 

"What time is it?" he asked muzzily. He couldn't have slept long given the way he felt. Sirius had kept him up hours past sunset, questioning him about Regulus, about the bond, about the extent of their connection. It had required concentration for Gaius to keep everything he'd told Sirius straight, both the truth and the lies, a feat which had grown more difficult the more exhausted he became. He didn't know what Sirius was digging at specifically, but he didn't think he'd messed up anything or contradicted himself. It had been especially important not to mention that the bond was only one-sided.

"Time for you to get up off your arse and do as you're told!" The guard prodded him again, none too gently, and Gaius sighed and rolled out of the bed, standing up and swaying on his feet.

"I'm coming," he murmured, pushing back his hair from his face. "I assume I don't have time for a shower?" He didn't know if it was punishment or because they were afraid he might escape down the drain-hole or something, but he'd not been allowed to shower since he'd been here, and it was almost a form of torture all by itself.

The guard didn't even deign to give an answer to that, simply pointing to the door, and Gaius sighed and headed where he was told. He'd caught sight of the watch on the guard's wrist, and it indicated it was four o'clock, no doubt in the afternoon and therefore still two hours before sunset. Sirius hadn't let him go until well after one, which meant Gaius had had no more than two hours of sleep in the last twenty-four, and it was beginning to show. He felt slow, and he staggered, catching himself on the door-frame as he stepped into the hallway.

The guard was joined by another, and together, they prodded Gaius back to the large gathering area where they'd first been brought to Sirius. Sirius was there again, as were most of the werewolves, gathered around the perimeter and looking toward Gaius as he entered. The sight sent a surge of adrenaline through Gaius, clearing away his fatigue and making his heart pound with alarm. Whatever this was, he didn't think it was going to be good.

"After all our discussion, Gaius, I've decided to give you a chance at this peace you and my brother are claiming you want," Sirius said, looking down at Gaius from the throne-like chair with a smile on his face.

Gaius' first start of surprise and the brief flare of hope that followed faded into a sense of dread as the werewolves around him reacted to that, some laughing, some snarling. Sirius was Alpha and the pack followed where he led, but Gaius knew that the hatred for vampires ran deep among most of them, especially the ones who carried the scars of battle with the Death Eaters. There was a catch to what Sirius was offering, he had no doubt of that. Unfortunately, he also had no choice.

"All right," Gaius said, lifting his chin proudly. If Sirius let him speak, he'd tell the truth, even though most of them had heard the history already and simply blown it off as irrelevant. Still, there must be some who would believe and understand, some who were tired of fighting when it wasn't necessary. He gestured to the assembled werewolves. "I think I can persuade some of them to believe that I'm telling the truth when I say the war was a lie, that it's unnecessary and we can live in peace. The vampires want peace, and it's time to end this pointless war!"

"Oh, it's not _them_ you must convince," Sirius replied, and his smile turned into a smirk that sent a chill down Gaius' spine. "You say the vampires want peace? Then you won't mind proving that, will you? If they are really so reasonable as you claim, then you shouldn't mind having one of them come out to shake hands with you, right? One of them other than my brother, I mean."

Gaius' eyes widened, but he didn't dare utter a sound of denial or protest after what he had claimed. If Sirius was going to do what Gaius suspected he was, Gaius was going to be hoist by his own damned petard, for Sirius knew very well that Gaius was talking about Regulus and Severus, not any other vampires - and most especially not the ones Sirius had been holding captive for days. He'd backed himself into a corner, right into the neatly laid trap Sirius had set for him. He didn't know how far Sirius would carry it, though, if he were still trying to force Regulus into bending to his will, and Regulus had made it clear he wouldn't cooperate if Sirius did anything to Gaius.

"I'll talk to them, yes," Gaius said, unwilling to back down. "I don't know any other vampires than Regulus and Severus, who believed they were the last until you sent your demands. But I have been with those two for days, and neither of them has ever tried to harm me. I'm not afraid to talk to the others; at least the vampires I've met seem to have the wit and ability to understand simple truths when they hear them!"

That was a deliberate slap in the face of the other werewolves, and there were growls of anger from all around him at the insult, but Gaius didn't care. He was angry at the way Sirius was handling this, and he wasn't breaking his promise to Regulus to "be good" by pointing out a few home truths. The werewolves didn't have the excuse of ignorance the vampires did; James had never withheld the truth or lied and manipulated them to get them to do his bidding. They didn't want to acknowledge what Gaius had known from the beginning. Gaius wasn't a genius, and he didn't have any special insights into reality; he'd simply believed the truth when he'd heard it and decided that he wasn't going to perpetuate a war that sprang from the centuries-old rivalry between two men when both those men were dead.

"We'll see," Sirius said, gesturing with one hand toward Gaius' guard. Gaius found himself pushed into the middle of the floor, and there was a clatter of metal as a series of gates rose from the floor around him, enclosing him in a four-sided cage. It was then that Gaius knew for certain what was happening; he'd heard about this, but he'd never seen it, considering any blood sport to be idiotic to the extreme, even among immortals. James had disapproved the practice but not actually forbidden it, given that the werewolves needed some outlet for their aggressions and genuine grievances. But werewolf against werewolf fighting was done for dominance, for position, not for entertainment. Sport was had in watching other creatures fight each other to the death.

Normally, it was wild animals that were used, but there was no denying that the cage had seen more than one vampire within its bars. It was rare to catch a vampire, rarer yet for one to survive and heal enough to be used for such a barbaric display; in fact it hadn't happened once in the entire time since Gaius had joined the pack, although there had been mention of it in the histories. It had been more common back at the start of the war, and apparently at first, James had even set a small number of vampires free if they could defeat a werewolf in single combat. That had stopped, however, when it became obvious that the vampires had bought into Voldemort's claims that it was a war of extinction; from then on, no vampire was ever released. Once any information of use had been gleaned from them, they'd been put into the cage and turned into a combatant until they were finally destroyed. It was how many of the older werewolves had learned to fight vampires in the first place.

The one thing Gaius couldn't understand was what Sirius meant to do with it being so long until sunrise. Not that he was going to ask; if Sirius meant to keep him here on display like some freak in a sideshow, let him. Gaius had never really fit in with his brethren to begin with, and he had the knowledge that he was right on his side, and that helped.

Cheers and jeers rose from around him, but Gaius didn't flinch or react. He simply stood in the middle of the cage, looking at Sirius calmly. He didn't have anything else to say; Sirius knew that if Gaius were injured, Regulus wouldn't cooperate about the weapon, but perhaps Sirius had given up on the fiction that this was about anything except Sirius' vendetta against his brother, about his need to feel that he'd somehow defeated Regulus, won from him something that only Sirius could name. An eerie sort of calmness settled over him, and he found he wasn't even surprised when a limp body was tossed in over the bars of the cage, wearing a helmet he recognized from drawings that was used to keep a vampire from biting, allowing sight and hearing but covering the mouth with a plate of steel that was soldered in place. 

Whatever was going to happen was going to happen, and there was nothing he could do to change it now. He reached out along the bond, feeling Regulus' unconscious presence, reveling in the sense of belonging the bond gave him. Oddly enough the brief contacts they'd had while in captivity had somehow made the bond stronger, as though Regulus' affection for him was reinforcing it, letting it weave yet more tentacles into Gaius' soul. Regulus didn't love him; he knew that. Even if they both survived this ordeal, there was no guarantee Regulus would ever feel about Gaius as Gaius felt about him, would ever want to make the bond complete or become Gaius' lover. But Gaius' only regret was that he would never know what could have been between them, if they had time.

"By the way, did I tell you that one of the things we found at the vampire's lair, along with my brother's weapon, was a drug they'd been experimenting with?" Sirius' tone was conversational. "Something that would allow the vampires to fight off the effects of the torpor, apparently so that they could fight us in the daytime. Clever lot, for a bunch of blood suckers."

The body on the floor began to stir, and Gaius watched with a sort of detached interest as the man sat up and looked around, blinking in confusion. A vampire, Gaius noted with a total lack of feeling.

"There's one problem with it, though," Sirius continued. "Must be why they didn't use it. It seems that it robs our fangy friends of some of their scintillating personality, leaving them a bit cranky. Obviously vampires are not morning people."

There were chuckles and cat calls in response to Sirius' attempt at humor, but Gaius didn't join in. He watched as the vampire across the cage gained his feet, turning around as though he were trying to figure out how he had gotten where he was. It seemed that any intellect was slowed, perhaps gone completely, a fact which became even more obvious when the vampire finally caught sight of Gaius. The man's dark eyes slowly turned the pale blue of a vampire being overcome by blood-lust, and vampire hunched as instinct seemed to take over. Then with a hiss, the vampire launched himself at Gaius, who lifted his hands, preparing to do what little he could to defend himself. Then the vampire was upon him, and the roar of the werewolves all but drowned out Sirius' final words.

"I suppose you'll just have to be more persuasive. But I'm sure you can do it. After all, wasn't it you who told me all they want is peace?"

~*~*~*~*~*~


	20. Chapter 20

Regulus awoke to an unpleasant antsiness that was worse than the usual restlessness being separated from Gaius caused. This was stronger and more urgent, but he didn't get a sense that Gaius was badly hurt, either. He'd felt that before, and he knew what it was like; this wasn't nearly so alarming, just enough of a distraction to make him wonder what was going on.

He rose and dressed, running his hand over his stubbled cheeks; he hadn't been allowed to bathe, which was grating on his nerves more and more. He was accustomed to being clean and well-groomed, and he'd never wanted a beard. When they got out of this hellhole, he intended to take a long bath with the water as hot as he could stand it; it would take a good scalding for him to feel clean after this.

After that, he had little to do except pace in his cell until one of the guards came to escort him to the "lab" to begin another night's useless tinkering.

When the guards showed up, however, it was apparent that something different was going on. The men wore nasty, knowing smirks, and it was impossible to miss the scents of testosterone and adrenaline they gave off. Something had them excited, and when they commanded him from his cell, they didn't head toward the area where he had been working; instead they turned in the opposite direction, taking a tunnel that seemed to be the one he'd originally been brought in from. 

Regulus followed, his own instincts roused; the werewolves reeked of sweat and blood, and he knew that didn't bode well at all. Icy fear coiled and clenched around his stomach, and if the bond hadn't felt solid, he would have been convinced Sirius had done something to Gaius out of desperation.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked. He didn't expect an answer; the werewolves seemed far too self-satisfied, and he anticipated mockery or evasion rather than a straight answer, but it was worth a shot.

The guards exchanged a look, and as expected, one of them gave a nasty chuckle. "Sirius has something he wants to show you. Probably you don't want to see it, but you don't have a choice, do ya?"

Regulus didn't answer; they all knew the answer without him having to say it aloud. The lead weight in his stomach grew heavier, and if he could have dragged his heels, he would have. He had no doubt he _didn't_ want to see whatever it was Sirius had done, especially if it had something to do with Gaius. 

Unfortunately, they arrived far too quickly at their destination, the big open chamber where Sirius had set up his "throne room". There were werewolves standing around the edges of the room, and Sirius occupied the chair he'd stolen from the mansion. But perhaps worst of all was the fact that there were spatters of blood - lots of them - in the center of the filthy concrete floor, splatters that were now drying to rusty-red. 

"Hello, brother," Sirius greeted him with patently false cheer. There was a feral look in Sirius' eyes, and his eyes tracked Regulus like a hunter stalking prey. "So nice of you to join us."

Regulus looked around, sickened by what he saw. Had Sirius forced the remaining vampires to fight to the death for the werewolves' amusement? There was too many scents hanging in the air, none of them pleasant, for him to discern anything more. He did notice the crowd was smaller than he expected, as if not all of Sirius' pack had shown up for the event.

"What, nothing to say?" Sirius seemed perturbed by Regulus' silence, as though he were telling a joke and Regulus had failed to give him the required opening for his punch line. "I thought you might actually be interested that I brought you here, instead of sending you to work on the weapon. After all, it isn't every day that I actually admit that I _could_ have been wrong and give someone a chance to prove it."

Regulus dragged his attention away from the signs of violence around them and forced himself to look at Sirius, staring at him uncomprehendingly. He'd known Sirius hated him, but he hadn't realized how warped out of all recognition Sirius had become because of a pointless vendetta. 

"What have you done?" he asked, already knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"I did what you asked or part of it at least," Sirius replied. He leaned forward in the chair. "I gave Gaius a chance to plead his case for peace. You both were so adamant about it being possible, about how things should be, that I was certain he would be most eloquent in his arguments. Alas, I think he was in better form when he tried to convince me, since his audience was not... receptive. So much for your claims that all the vampires want is peace. From what we saw here, you and you alone are the only one of your kind with this mad idea that the war will ever end."

" _What_?" Regulus lurched forward, his hands clenched into fists, shock warring with horror. "What did you do to him?"

"Me?" Sirius shook his head. " _I_ didn't do a thing to him. He was provided an opportunity to show me that the two of you were telling the truth when you said peace is possible. He failed."

"No, you deliberately set him up for failure," Regulus retorted, shaking with barely repressed fury. "You aren't stupid, for all that you're behaving like a thick-headed brute now. You know damned well the vampires you're holding hostage don't know what happened with Voldemort and Gellert. They don't understand that we were fed lies for centuries." He broke off and stared at Sirius with undisguised disgust and loathing. "I thought perhaps there was something decent left within you, some shred of a reasonable man still capable of thinking rationally, but obviously, I was wrong. You've given in to the monster completely."

"No, I've not fallen prey to the lies!" Sirius glared at Regulus. "So you think that every vampire will magically want peace the minute they hear the tragic tale of Gellert and Albus and Voldemort? That after centuries of war, of wanting to lord it over the werewolves, they will suddenly beat their swords into plowshares? Gaius admitted that you yourself weren't keen on the idea, that you were hardly the loving bond-mate even after the blood bond! Why should we believe it will be different with the others? So far, I have one vampire telling me there can be peace, and five others who are adamant that there won't be. It's simply a matter of statistics, my brother. You were outvoted."

"I never said this would be easy!" Regulus matched Sirius glare for glare, baring his fangs in a snarl. "You don't even want to try. You've stacked the deck, and I reject your so-called evidence that peace is doomed to failure. _You_ don't want it, but that doesn't mean no one else does or that it's impossible to achieve." He stared at Sirius coldly. "Where is Gaius? What did you do to him?" 

Despite the bond hadn't warned him of any danger, Regulus knew Gaius was too clever to hand over ammunition for Sirius to use against them unless he was under duress. Sirius had done _something_ to him to make his tongue slip in such a way. 

Sirius shook his head. "You don't know when you're beat," he growled. "I think you're going to take more convincing. Fine. Bring Gaius in. I'm not a monster, no matter what you say." He gave an evil smile, looking at Regulus as though he were pleased with how things were going. It was a smile that stayed in place as a group of the werewolves moved aside, and a bound, shirtless, barely conscious Gaius was hauled in. His skin was covered with bruises and lacerations, and a trained eye like Regulus' could tell the technique of the person who had beaten him so badly was the familiar one of a vampire. The two werewolves holding Gaius up pushed him forward, and he stumbled before crumpling to the ground, landing with a groan of pain because he couldn't catch himself with his hands tied behind him.

Heedless of the guards, Regulus rushed to kneel beside Gaius and wrapped both arms securely around him. Now he knew why the bond had been quiet; he caught a whiff of whatever they had used to drug Gaius mingled with Gaius' scent, an acrid undernote. But the bond was awake now, stirring as Gaius stirred.

"It's all right, puppy," he murmured, stroking Gaius' back gently - and checking for any discernible injuries. "It's going to be all right, I promise."

Gaius opened one eye, then the other, wincing at the light. He turned his head and made a feeble attempt to curl up in Regulus' arms. "Nex' time you ta'e me out, it had better be to a movie," he murmured, his voice slow and slurred from the drugs. No doubt it was numbing his pain to some extent as well, which was a mercy. "S'alright. You're here now."

"Yes, I'm here." Regulus smoothed Gaius' hair back from his face and then curved his arms protectively around Gaius. "Next time, it'll be dinner, a movie, flowers and candles - whatever you like."

"How touching," Sirius said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Gaius is a pathetic excuse for a werewolf anyway; he wouldn't even defend himself. But just to show I'm fair, I'll let him have another chance with a different vampire. You can even watch."

"No." Regulus growled a denial and bared his fangs at Sirius, tightening his arms around Gaius. "You won't subject him to that again. You won't subject any other vampire to your ridiculous blood sports." 

"You forget your place, _vampire_!" Sirius surged to his feet, his face turning red, hands clenched at his side. "You are in werewolf territory now, and _I_ am the alpha here! You _will_ bow to me, my brother. That's all you have to do. Admit I've beaten you. Do that, and I'll let Gaius go. Refuse and I'll kill him myself."

"The hell you will!" Regulus paused just long enough to settle Gaius carefully on the floor before rolling to his feet and stalking toward Sirius, hissing dangerously. "You haven't beaten me, and I will never bow to one as pathetic as you. You don't _think_ , you just let anger gnaw away your good sense. You aren't even fit to lead anymore, _werewolf_." 

Even in the haze of anger, a cold and calculating part of Regulus' mind dredged up memories of things Gaius had said, and a wild thought whirled in his brain, prompting him to square off against Sirius, his stance challenging. 

"You're a poor excuse for a leader," he said. "I could do better - and I will." 

There was a sudden, collective silence among the werewolves, and Sirius stared at him in shock. "You... you dare to challenge _me_?" he asked, pale and practically shaking with rage. "That's out of the question! You are a bloodsucker! You can't lead here!"

"I challenge you," Regulus replied, standing firm despite the rustling and murmuring around the room. He had no idea if he was about to be torn apart, but at least he would die on his feet. "We've all had enough of leaders who do nothing but pursue their own self-serving agendas at the expense of their followers' lives. Enough!" His voice rang out as he swept his gaze around the room. "There are too few of us as it is for our so-called leaders to sacrifice us because of their own petty egos."

"Impossible!" Sirius pointed a finger at Regulus. "I won't allow it! You are not going to take this from me as you have everything else!"

It was still silent, as though the surrounding werewolves were frozen, awaiting the outcome of this clash of titans. That was all that made it possible for Gaius' low, pained voice to be heard, as he forced his head up and looked at Regulus, a blaze of hope and pride brightening his eyes. "Yes, he can," he said slowly. "Voldemort... defeated Albus. Made him Alpha. That's... how Voldemort subjugated the werewolves in the beginning. James' revolution... broke tradition."

"NO!" Sirius' voice thundered through the room, and he looked about at the assembled lycanthropes as though daring any of them to speak up to support Regulus. "This will _not_ be allowed! What was done in the past is over!"

"What was done in the past makes us what we are."

The voice that replied had authority, and one side of the gathered werewolves parted, and an old man stepped forth. He was scarred, missing one eye and walking with a cane, and he was probably the oldest werewolf Regulus had ever seen, but there was power about him, too, a power that spoke of age and wisdom. 

"Don't challenge me, Alastor!" Sirius snapped, pointing at the old man. "You have outlived your usefulness as it is. Don't make it harder on yourself."

"I will challenge you and support your brother's right to challenge you!" Alastor slammed his cane down on the floor. "And it's not just me."

At that, several werewolves stepped up to surround the old man. They were all men of mature age, not the young, punkish types that seemed so supportive of Sirius' brutality. These were obviously the men who'd been missing from the gathering before, but now they were here, and against all odds, they were adding their voice to Regulus'.

Regulus gave the group a respectful nod, recognizing their wisdom and experience; if he was going to have any success with the werewolves, this was where he needed to start. 

"Thank you," he said, and then he turned back to Sirius. "My challenge stands."

"You're welcome," Regulus heard the old man murmur. "Saved us the trouble of figuring out which of us was going to do it."

Sirius glared at Alastor and the older werewolves, looking like he wanted to argue, but the younger crowd who had been his most vocal supporters were silent, apparently intimidated by the combined forces of Alastor and the men with him. It was obvious the situation stuck in his craw, but he didn't appear to have any choice. Sirius seemed to accept that for himself, and he threw his hands up in the air.

"Fine! Have it your way, you lot - and I warn you, when I put Regulus down, I'm not going to forget this," he snarled. "I knew I should have done some house-cleaning when I became Alpha. It's a mistake I will rectify when this is over."

Alastor didn't seem intimidated. "It was different when Voldemort was trying to kill us, and we were fighting for our lives," Alastor replied. "But there are still some of us around who remember the days before Voldemort, and we know that James spoke the truth - and that Gaius, young as he is, accepts the truth. We will gladly die for the pack, but we will not die for _you_."

"You'll pay for that, old man," Sirius snapped. "I swear it."

Alastor turned his back to Sirius, a blatant insult, and gestured to two of the men with him, redheads who looked enough alike to be brothers. They ignored Sirius' armed guards and moved to Gaius, lifting him up and moving him out of the middle of the floor. "We'll watch over him," he said to Regulus. "I was never bonded to a vampire, but I had friends who were. Win, for his sake."

"I'll do my best," Regulus replied, watching as the redheads carried Gaius away. He waited until Gaius was safely settled in the midst of the group of supporters, where Gaius couldn't - and wouldn't - be hurt anymore, and after a few moments of inner debate over the wisdom of indulging his desires in the middle of this tense situation, he gave in to the urging of the bond. He moved swiftly to stand in front of Gaius, and he framed Gaius' face between his hands, being careful not to cause more pain to the bumps and bruises. "How about a little luck?" he asked, bending to murmur the words against Gaius' lips.

Gaius' eyes widened, and a smile curved his lips despite his injuries. He lifted his arms, wrapping them around Regulus' waist and returning the kiss. "All the luck I can give... and anything else you want," he replied softly.

"We'll talk about that later," Regulus promised. He brushed another light kiss against Gaius' lips before drawing back, leaving Gaius in Alastor's care, and then he turned back to Sirius, his expression grim. "I'm ready when you are." 

"Good luck," he heard Gaius murmur.

"Let's get this over with," Sirius replied. He stepped down from the dais, stripping off his shirt as he came and tossing it aside. He moved into the middle of the blood-spattered floor, settling into a half crouch. "Go."

Regulus didn't bother stripping as he closed in on Sirius; he would have been happier if he'd still had his body armor, but at least the fabric might offer some small, temporary amount of protection from Sirius' claws. He too went into a defensive crouch, waiting to see what Sirius would do. It had been a long time since he'd seen Sirius fight, and he wanted to learn what he could before launching a full-out attack. 

Before Regulus was fully settled in position, Sirius sprang forward with blinding speed, obviously using the same tactic he must have pulled on Gaius to catch him by surprise in the cell at Godric's castle. Regulus had more experience, though, so the move was transparent as Sirius rushed him, one big fist curled up and swinging for Regulus' head as he tried for a knock-out blow. Regulus ducked the blow with easy speed and lunged forward, slamming his shoulder into Sirius' midsection in hopes of knocking him off-balance. 

Sirius must have been used to hand-to-hand combat, however, for he immediately lowered his center of gravity as he gave with Regulus' rush rather than resisting it. He fisted his hands in Regulus' shirt, turning with the momentum of the rush and lifting Regulus up, tossing him away toward the side. Regulus' reflexes let him land on his feet, although the power behind the throw was impressive; it had been a long time since Regulus had gotten out of the workshop and into a good fight, and had the circumstances been any less serious, he might have enjoyed the challenge and the adrenaline rush. But too much was riding on his victory, and he focused on what he was doing, circling and waiting again for Sirius to make another move. 

He didn't have to wait long. Sirius wasn't an elegant fighter, relying on speed and power more than finesse, but he was dangerous despite any lack of technique. Sirius rushed again, side-stepping at the last moment before impact and spinning, lashing out with one hand to rake his nails at Regulus' eyes. Regulus threw up his arm to protect his face - and caught the brunt of Sirius' nails on his forearm, hissing as Sirius drew first blood. Clearly, he would have to resort to down and dirty fighting if he wanted to win. 

"Ha," Sirius scoffed, smiling smugly, obviously pleased at his success, even if it wasn't the strike he'd been going for. He paused for a moment, apparently weighing his options, then stepped back and sprang into the air, lifting his arm to bring it down in a maneuver that, if it landed, would crush Regulus' skull or shatter his bones like matchsticks. Heightened reflexes saved Regulus once again; werewolves had brute strength on their side, but vampires had speed, and Regulus used that advantage now, side-stepping the attempted blow and grabbed Sirius' arm, trying to twist it up and back to drive Sirius to his knees. 

The maneuver worked; apparently Sirius was so confident in his ability to crush Regulus that he committed himself completely to the attack, which left him with no way to recover when his quarry moved and suddenly it was the floor rushing up to meet him. He landed with a roar of anger and pain as his elbow impacted the cement floor with a crunch. Regulus was easily able to drive Sirius further down, and he did, pressing his advantage until Sirius was pinned. 

"I don't want to hurt you," he said as he brought his wounded forearm to his mouth and worried the gashes, making his own blood flow more freely. "I don't want to kill you. Believe it or not, I don't want to take anything from you either, but you've left me no choice." He pressed his arm against Sirius' mouth, forcing blood between his lips. "You're probably going to hate me for this, but it's the only way." 

"What are you-" Sirius snarled, but then his words were choked off as Regulus' blood filled his mouth. The flow cut off his ability to breath, and Sirius swallowed even as he began to flail, lashing out in desperation to get free. He managed to buck Regulus off and staggered to his feet, swiping at his face with his good arm to try to remove the blood; the other hung at his side, obviously badly damaged.

"You'll pay for that," he snapped, glaring at Regulus. He shuddered, then started toward Regulus, raising a fist to deliver a blow. That blow never landed, and Sirius stopped, shaking his head in disbelief. "What did you do to me? Why can't I hit you?" His words were bellowed with an agonized fury.

"Because I bound myself to you," Regulus replied, hoping he sounded calmer than he felt. He could feel the new bond far, far stronger than he had ever felt the bond with Gaius; he could feel Sirius' anger and confusion, and he was drawn to reach out to Sirius even though he knew the gesture wouldn't be accepted. "I gave you my blood willingly, and now I'm bound to you. It's still a one-sided bond until you give your blood to me of your own free will." He released a shuddery breath, feeling as if his entire body was still vibrating from the adrenaline rush of the fight, but he managed a wry smile nonetheless. "I won't hold my breath," he added. 

"No! This isn't right! This isn't fair!" Sirius recoiled back from Regulus as though he had been slapped. He turned to the armed guards, pointing at Regulus with a trembling finger. "Shoot him! I'm still Alpha; you must obey!"

"No, they must _not_!" Alastor's words thundered through the air, and the old man stepped forward again. "That isn't how it works, Sirius Black, and you know it. You stopped the attack; it doesn't matter why, and therefore you have forfeited your position." He turned and looked at Regulus, a gleam of what seemed to be approval in his eyes. "Regulus is now Alpha, and he will remain so until he loses a challenge or dies."

Slowly, the old man lowered himself to one knee, a sign of obeisance. The other werewolves all did the same, leaving only three people standing - Regulus, Sirius, and Gaius, who was watching the two of them with an expression of shocked confusion, his body rigid and eyes wide.

"NO!" Sirius screamed the words, then put his hands to his head, whirling to fix Regulus with a look of hatred. "You didn't win, you cheated! I can _feel_ you... Break this damned bond, Regulus! Break it now, or so help me I _will_ find a way to kill you!"

"No," Regulus replied evenly, although Sirius' anger buffeted against him like an almost physical force, and he had to fight against rocking backwards. Being shouted at and rejected hurt far more than he expected it to, thanks to the bond, and the irony of being in the same position he'd put Gaius in wasn't lost on him; he now knew how Gaius must have felt, especially in the early days when Regulus had done nothing but push him away. "The bond is permanent, and it won't allow you to kill me, not even indirectly." 

He knew better than to push; he knew exactly how Sirius felt, too, since he had been there himself not too long ago, and he knew Sirius wouldn't accept but so much until he recovered from the initial anger and shock. Thus he gestured for the werewolves - his pack - to rise and spoke to them instead, although the words were meant as much for Sirius as it was for them. 

"I challenged Sirius, not because I wanted to win, but because I want peace. I'm your Alpha now, but I'm no Voldemort, and things _will_ be different. The war between the werewolves and vampires is over, and our two kinds are going to live as equals, neither one ruling nor serving the other but working together to ensure mutual protection. Is that clear?"

There was a chorus of assent from everyone but Sirius as the werewolves stood once more, although it wasn't hard to tell that the agreement of some was less wholehearted than that of others. But the strongest voices, both in their tone and their fervency, was that of Alastor and the dozen werewolves with him.

Sirius looked as though he were about to burst a blood vessel, and the grinding of his teeth was audible. "Not over... this is not over, my brother," he muttered, giving Regulus a murderous look. "I'll find a way to break this, and when I do, there won't be a place you can hide from me."

"You're welcome to try," Regulus replied as he turned and walked away from Sirius. He wasn't worried that Sirius would find a way to make good his threat to break the bond, and he hoped that it might, perhaps, help Sirius to eventually accept and understand. It would take time, but Sirius would adjust, just as Regulus had, and they had nothing but time stretching ahead of them now. 

In the meantime, he wasn't going to waste his breath arguing with Sirius; they were bonded, and Sirius would find out what that meant soon enough. Unlike Gaius, Regulus wasn't concerned with cultivating Sirius' good will; he would be pleased if they could develop a relationship that wasn't based on rivalry and hostility, but if Sirius continued to fight the bond and reject him, he wasn't going to be cast into abject despair over it. Besides, he had matters that were far more important than Sirius' ego to attend to. 

"I want all of you to pack up whatever belongings you want to take with you," he instructed the werewolves. "We're returning to Gryffindor's castle. Alastor, I'd like you to inform the other vampires of what has happened. Let them know I'll be along to speak with them shortly, but don't let them out yet. I need to make sure they aren't going to do anything stupid before they're allowed to roam free." He turned his attention to Gaius then, his expression softening. "First, I want to make sure you're all right," he said. "Then we have a few things to discuss in private."

Alastor acknowledged the orders, and there was a general movement away from them as the werewolves set about carrying out Regulus' orders. Even Sirius moved away, although it was obvious he hadn't gone too far, probably sulking somewhere or taking out his aggressions on someone or something else, or trying to find blood to help his arm heal. 

As soon as the room cleared out and they were alone, Regulus grasped Gaius' shoulders and steered him until his back hit the nearest wall. "Are you all right?" he asked, gazing down at Gaius intensely, wanting reassurance that Sirius hadn't gone too far. 

Gaius gazed up at him, smiling as he wrapped his arms around Regulus' waist. "I'm fine, now," he said. There was a hint of wonder in his voice. "It's over now, really over? We survived, and now we can go on... go back home?"

"Yes, we're going home." But Regulus wasn't in the mood for further conversation. Adrenaline still sang in his blood, and while he knew his aggression was being fueled in part by Sirius, he could only think about reconnecting with Gaius after a too-long and lonely separation. Without thought or hesitation, he bent and captured Gaius' mouth, claiming it in a rough, demanding kiss. 

Gaius must have sensed his mood, for he was pliant in Regulus' arms, parting his lips with a moan as he pulled Regulus even closer. He seemed as hungry for Regulus' touch as Regulus was for his, and he matched passion for passion without hesitation. Pressing Gaius against the wall, Regulus plundered his mouth, exploring as he familiarized himself with Gaius' taste, claiming what he felt was rightfully his. Kisses weren't enough, but they would have to suffice for now, and he broke away before he got too caught up in their mutual passion. 

"We're going home," he repeated, his voice low and rough. "We're going to complete our bond, and then I'm taking you to bed - and I don't mean for cuddling or sleeping." 

"Oh..." Gaius was flushed and breathless, his lips rosy from the kiss, his eyes heavy lidded as he gazed up at Regulus. There was no need of the bond for Regulus to know how he was feeling, for Gaius' heart was naked in his eyes. "I want that. I want you. So very, very much."

"Whatever you want, you'll have it," Regulus murmured, aligning his body with Gaius' and pressing against him again. It wasn't enough, but it would have to tide him over until they were home. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you about bonding with Sirius. It was a spur of the moment decision. I wasn't even sure it was possible, since I have a partial bond with you, but fortunately, it worked," he explained, even as he nuzzled along Gaius' jaw and down his throat. 

Gaius didn't hesitate to tip his head back, and he clutched at Regulus' shoulders with his heart pounding, the pulse there beneath Regulus' lips. "I feel him, too, but I don't care," he replied, his voice ragged and breathless with desire. "All I care about is you."

Regulus pursed his lips against the throb of Gaius' pulse, unable to resist darting his tongue out for a quick little taste before lifting his head. "Soon," he said huskily. "Once we get home, I'm going to take some time off. These past few days have been the worst of my life, and I want to make up for the time we lost. After I give my report to Severus, he's going to be on his own for a little while." 

A small gasp escaped Gaius at the feel of Regulus' tongue, and he seemed in imminent danger of melting right there in Regulus' arms. "Good. I want you all to myself," he replied. "I suspect after as long as I've waited, I'm not going to want to let you out of the bed for a century or two."

Chuckling, Regulus ran his nose along Gaius' throat to the base of his ear, and he rocked provocatively against Gaius, teasing him. "You might have to share me a little more than that," he said. "But I suspect my workaholic days are over." He lifted his head and gazed down at Gaius fondly, cupping Gaius' cheek in his palm and caressing it with gently with his thumb. "My puppy," he murmured. "All mine." 

"All yours." Gaius' voice was fervent, and he thrust his hips forward, teasing Regulus in return. "And I can't wait to be yours in every sense of the word."

"We can leave as soon as the rest of the pack is ready," Regulus replied, releasing Gaius reluctantly and stepping back before they got too carried away. "I need to talk to the surviving vampires, too. Five are left." He raked his fingers through his hair restlessly and grimaced. "Two are dead, thanks to Sirius' posturing, but I suppose it could have been worse." 

There was the sound of a throat being discreetly cleared, and Alastor smiled at them, obviously having crept up on them without them realizing - a tribute either to the old man's stealth or the way they were concentrating on each other. 

"Excuse me, but I have a couple of pieces of relevant information," the old man said. "First, there are seven vampires. Sirius didn't kill the two he told you he did; he simply had them moved to another cell. Second, a group of armed vampires and humans that I can only assume are the other members or your group are approaching through the tunnels. Should we bring them here?"

"Yes," Regulus replied, facing Alastor. "Approach with caution until you can inform them of the situation, but yes, bring them here as quickly as possible." 

If he'd been the type to shout or dance, he might have done so out of sheer relief, not only that the vampires he'd thought were dead were alive, but also that Severus had arrived. It was a relief to know he would have help explaining things to the survivors - and it was a relief to know Sirius wasn't as vicious and ruthless as he'd thought. 

"Yes, sir," Alastor replied, then turned and gestured to the redheaded werewolves who had helped Gaius earlier, and the two of them set off down one of the tunnels.

"You're relieved," Gaius said with a smile, reaching up to take Regulus' hand again. "So am I. I think it might take a while for it to sink in that it's over. It's _really_ over - the war, the hatred, all of it. I've wanted it for a century. I'm beginning to think that dreams really do come true."

Regulus clasped Gaius' hand firmly. "Sometimes, they do," he said. "If you overcome enough obstacles to make what you want happen. I _am_ relieved," he admitted. "Relieved the war is over, relieved Severus is here, and relieved Sirius isn't as bad as I thought. The things he did... the things he _said_ he did made me wonder if I knew him at all anymore."

"I wonder if Sirius just was doing everything he could to get to you," Gaius replied. "I've never seen him so irrational. Perhaps after the way he built you up in his mind as being the author of every wrong he'd suffered, he couldn't deal with it when you showed up and were prepared to be reasonable. I could see that making someone want to try to goad and poke to elicit the behavior they were expecting. Justification, I suppose. It's pretty hard to admit that you wasted centuries on a hatred that was completely unfounded."

"Yes," Regulus said dryly, giving Gaius a deadpan look. "It is."

Gaius laughed and wrapped his arms around Regulus, holding him close. "I'm sorry, that wasn't meant as a dig at you, love," he said. "Sirius' hatred is personal; obviously he wasn't going against all vampires or else he really would have killed those two."

"True enough," Regulus conceded, sliding his arms around Gaius' shoulders. "Of course, I hated him on a personal level too, but I couldn't sustain it once I accepted the truth about the war. I realized I'd been duped and used for my skill, not because Bellatrix really wanted _me_ over Sirius. I felt an greater understanding for him then."

"You were both the victims of your family," Gaius said, nuzzling Regulus' cheek and pressing close to him, as though offering his warmth to soothe the pain Regulus had been put through. He was about to say more, but the sound of many booted feet caused him to look back toward the tunnel, where the redheaded werewolves had entered, leading an entourage of heavily armed and armored men. At the front of the phalanx were Severus and Remus, and Severus snorted when he caught sight of Regulus.

"I see reports of your degree of danger and imminent death have been greatly exaggerated, as they say," Severus drawled, his lips twitching in amusement. "You have always managed to come out on top, Regulus, but... Alpha of the werewolves? I think you may have managed to impress me - but if you repeat that, I'll deny it."

"After all this time, I finally did it." Regulus smiled, pleased to see his old friend despite the fact he knew Severus wouldn't let him live this down for the next two or three hundred years at least. "State of the art, customized weaponry couldn't do it, but becoming the Alpha did. Who knew that was all it would take?"

Meanwhile, Remus broke away from the group and made a beeline for Gaius, fussing over him before even reaching him. "What happened to you? Did Regulus use you as a shield when he was fighting Sirius?"

"No, I lost a philosophical argument with a vampire," Gaius replied, not bothering to make even a token protest at Remus' ministrations. "Did you know the vampires have something to wake from the torpor? Only it doesn't leave them exactly rational."

"You must be part cat, always landing on your feet," Severus said. He laid a hand on Regulus' shoulder as he glanced around at the few gathered werewolves, although more seemed to be trickling in. "What are we going to do with them all? Do you really think they'll follow you and not try to destroy us?"

"We're taking them back to the castle," Regulus replied firmly. "They'll obey me. Alastor will help," he added, nodding to the elder werewolf. "Although I think taking a few extra security measures on both the werewolves and the seven vampire survivors might not hurt, at least until we've integrated well enough." 

"I have a few ideas about that," Remus spoke up, glancing up from his careful treatment of Gaius' wounds. "We can discuss them when we get back home."

Severus nodded. "We have a lot of planning to do, it seems," he said. Then he looked at Regulus again. "I admit I thought you quite mad when you planned this, but... I was wrong. You have ended the war and accomplished by yourself more than I would have dreamed. I hope after this, you'll stop doubting your usefulness in this brave new world."

Regulus met Severus' gaze, quietly pleased by Severus' approval, an honor rarely bestowed. "Thank you," he said, feeling a surge of warm affection for his old friend. "I suppose I do have a place as the pack Alpha, although I have no idea what that means as yet."

Gaius peeked out from behind Remus' prodding hands. "I'll help you," he said, giving Regulus a wry smile. "I may not be any good at fighting for the position, but I certainly know the protocols and the history. You have your own personal reference at your fingertips."

"So there you have it," Severus said. He looked around again; it seemed that most of the werewolves had trickled back into the meeting area, carrying bags and boxes. "We brought a couple of trucks. I suspect with whatever is here on hand we can probably make it to the castle. If not, we can send drivers back for the rest."

"Good, because I said they could bring whatever they wanted," Regulus replied. "I don't want to start things off by making any of them feel they've had to leave something they're attached to behind." His gaze fell on the throne, and he eyed it speculatively. "Do we have room for that?" he asked, pointing at it. "If Sirius doesn't want it anymore - and I suspect he doesn't - we could put it on display, maybe as a reminder of what we want to avoid from now on."

"We'll make room," Severus said, giving the chair a grim look. "At the very least, we'll come back for it if we have to. You're right, we need to make certain that we don't forget, not ever again. No more idiotic political maneuverings or lies. I don't know if we could run as a democracy - I think our very natures, especially the werewolves, are set for a different determination of command - but we can certainly be more fair and open than our elders were to us."

"You're the elder now, Severus," Gaius said, chiming in once more. "Of the surviving vampires, you are the oldest by over a century, so by custom that makes you the leader."

Severus snorted. "Wonderful. We'll have to see what we can come up with as a collaborative form of governance," he said. Moving to Remus, he laid a hand on Remus' shoulder. "If you're done with your patient, we should load up and go. We have very long drive ahead, and we're not going to make it back to the castle before sunrise, so we'll need to get the vampires checked out and loaded up in a truck where no light can get in."

"I've done everything I can here," Remus replied, smiling at Gaius before stepping back and sliding his arm around Severus' waist. "I'm ready to go when you are, Elder Severus," he teased, giving Severus a playful squeeze.

"I'm ready, too," Regulus said, although he paused to issue one last instruction. "Alastor, make sure all the werewolves are accounted for on the trucks. I don't know everyone yet, so I won't be able to tell if we've left anyone behind or not." 

"Good idea." Severus and Alastor spoke in unison, and they gave each other a startled glance before Alastor chuckled and Severus gave a snort of amusement.

"Strange as it may sound, I think we'll get on fine," Alastor said, and then he turned away to follow Regulus' orders.

Severus slid his arm around Remus in return and leaned down to whisper something in his ear. 

Gaius moved to Regulus' side. "I'm ready, too," he said, giving Regulus a smile full of promise. "Let's go home."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	21. Chapter 21

Regulus lost track of time beneath the nearly scalding hot water, letting it run over him until he felt like the accumulated grime of the past few days had washed away at last; he washed his hair three times and himself twice in an effort to feel fully clean again, and he shaved off his unkempt beard growth with pleasure and relief. He preferred to be clean-shaven, not liking the way he looked with a beard, and that he'd discovered new beards were itchy had only made him that much more eager to shave it off.

At last, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry off and dress; sunrise was still several hours away, but he dressed in a pair of the comfortable flannel pants and long-sleeved tee shirt he favored for sleeping in rather than everyday clothes. Once Gaius returned from the infirmary, they had business of a personal nature to attend to, and Regulus wanted to be comfortable for that.

He wasn't surprised to exit the bathroom and find that Gaius wasn't back yet; Remus was thorough, and while Gaius had healed nicely on the trip back to Gryffindor's castle, Remus had insisted on giving him a thorough once-over nonetheless. Gaius might even have had to wait if Remus had helped Severus get their new guests settled in first. Regulus felt a twinge of guilt for not helping, but only a twinge. After what he'd been through, he thought he'd earned a break, and he was tired of seeing Sirius trying to make "if looks could kill" a reality every time he turned around anyway. It was enough to feel the constant thrum of Sirius' resentment and anger, but at least this fraternal bond didn't force either of them to remain in such close proximity as the bond with Gaius did. Apparently different bonds caused different reactions and effects, which he made a mental note to mention to Remus, who might find the information of note or at least interesting.

While he waited for Gaius to return, he went into his bedroom and threw back the covers, and he stretched out in the middle of the bed to wait. They could decide which bedroom to use later, or perhaps even move into a one bedroom suite, but that was a discussion for later. _Much_ later.

It was another half an hour before the door of the suite opened, then closed again. Within a moment of that, Gaius was standing in the bedroom doorway, smiling as he caught sight of Regulus on the bed. Apparently he'd had time to clean up as well, for he was freshly showered with his hair still damp and wearing what had to be clothing borrowed from Remus, for the sweatpants and t-shirt were a bit too large. Apparently Gaius had been as anxious to return to Regulus as he had been reluctant to leave him, and he didn't hesitate to move to the bed and sit down on the edge. 

"Remus says I'm fine," he said, moving a hand to caress Regulus' thigh. His eyes gleamed with heat. "He said I can do anything I'd like, and I know what I'd like... you."

Moving with preternatural speed, Regulus snaked his arm out and grabbed Gaius, swiftly rolling him onto his back. "Does that mean I can do anything I'd like too?" he asked as he pinned Gaius beneath him, grinning down at him.

Gaius wrapped his arms and legs around Regulus and arched up against him wantonly. "Yes," he growled, nipping playfully at Regulus' chin. "So long as what you want to do is me."

"I want to do lots of things to you," Regulus replied, bending his head to nip Gaius' bottom lip in return. "But we have a bond to complete first."

"Mmmm..." Gaius gave a pleasurable shiver at the feel of Regulus' teeth on him. "I want that, too. I want you to belong to me as I belong to you."

"I will." Regulus brushed a light kiss against Gaius' lips, a promise of things to come, and then he sat up and straddled Gaius' thighs, giving him room to sit up as well. Without hesitation, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside, and he lifted his arm to his lips, his fangs descending. He bit down and worried the wounds, heedless of the pain, and then he held out his arm to Gaius. "I offer you my blood freely, of my own will."

Gaius sat up, watching breathlessly as the blood welled up on Regulus' pale skin. Then he reached out, his expression showing a combination of happiness, awe, and melting tenderness as he cradled Regulus' arm in both hands. "I accept it, and I accept all of you," he murmured, before lowering his head and pressing his lips to the wounds, lapping up Regulus' blood with his tongue as he took obvious care not to cause Regulus any more pain.

But the pain was the furthest thing from Regulus' mind as he watched Gaius drink, feeling something click into place within him. The bond was growing stronger, and Gaius' presence was growing clearer and more sharply focused, making Regulus feel as if he'd been "seeing" through a dirty window that had been wiped clean at last. He could feel Gaius' happiness as strongly as if it was his own, and it bolstered his own, making his heart swell until he wondered if his body would be able to contain all that he - they - felt. He was no longer alone; he was connected and would be connected for the rest of his life, but now the thought was a welcome one. He rested his free hand on the back of Gaius' head, stroking his hair gently; exchanging blood was a common intimacy between vampires, and although it didn't create bonds between them, it was a gesture of trust as much as it was an erotic act of sharing; for Regulus, the trust and the intimacy were heightened beyond measure with this simple act.

It was obvious that Gaius felt something, too, for he trembled a bit beneath Regulus' hand, then lifted his head to look deeply into Regulus' eyes. "All mine," he murmured huskily. "My Regulus. Mine forever." There was a possessiveness to Gaius' voice, but beneath it was a joyful welcome, unquestioning love, and acceptance. No matter what happened in the long years to come, Gaius would be there for him.

"Forever," Regulus affirmed, no longer afraid of an eternal bond. With a little growl, he covered Gaius again and swooped down to claim a deep, possessive kiss, aroused anew by the taste of his own blood on Gaius' tongue.

With a moan, Gaius welcomed him, running his hands up the bare skin of Regulus' back, his nails raking lightly on the way back down. His tongue met Regulus', seeking to give pleasure as well as take it, and it was quite apparent from the way he thrust his hips up that his desire equalled Regulus'. "Want you," he murmured against Regulus' lips.

"Want you too," Regulus replied, although he wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer. He _did_ desire Gaius, but there was more to it than mere passion. He liked Gaius, he cared about Gaius, and he wanted Gaius... He froze, momentarily paralyzed by a most unexpected revelation, and he gazed down at Gaius, wide-eyed. "I've fallen in love with you," he blurted out in shock.

* * *

Gaius' breath caught as Regulus made his declaration, and he felt such a rush of love and happiness that he thought he might burst from it. The bond felt stronger, more solid to him since its completion, and he was even more aware of Regulus' emotions, of the depth of what Regulus felt for him, and it was as much a surprise to him was it was to Regulus, but an intensely welcome and longed-for one.

"I love you, too," he said, wrapping his arms around Regulus' shoulders. "So very, very much. I've wanted you for what seems like forever, and this... this is perfect. You're perfect, my Regulus. And I'm going to do everything I can to make you as happy as you've made me."

"I _am_ happy," Regulus said, looking and sounding as if this was as much of a shock to him as realizing he'd fallen in love had been. "For the first time in centuries, I feel like I'm really _living_."

There was no way Gaius couldn't chuckle at that. "I must be pretty special to make a vampire feel alive," he purred. He wrapped his legs around Regulus' thighs and arched against him again, wanting Regulus to feel just how aroused he was. "So now I think it's time for a little life affirmation, don't you? I've never wanted anything or anyone the way I want this, want to feel you inside of me, physically as well as emotionally. Complete us, love. Take me and give us both what we want."

"I will, as soon as we take care of a few obstacles," Regulus replied, ever the pragmatist. He yanked at the hem of Gaius' shirt pointedly before adding, "We're both over-dressed."

"I suppose we are," Gaius replied with a grin. He moved his arms, lifting up his shirt and then slithering out of it, the over-sized garment easily removed and flung away. "Mmmm, at least now we're even." He ran his hands over Regulus' chest, enjoying the smoothness of Regulus' skin. He paused at Regulus' nipples, circling his thumbs on them experimentally to see if Regulus liked it.

If the shiver he evoked was anything to go by, Gaius supposed Regulus _did_ like it, and the thrum of arousal, mirrored by the darkening of Regulus' pale eyes, underscored his certainty. But then Regulus' expression turned wicked, and Gaius barely had time to wonder what it meant before Regulus swooped down and captured one of Gaius' nipples in his teeth, tugging lightly.

Gaius threw back his head, gasping as the sensation seemed to travel from his chest all the way to his toes, making them curl tightly. He buried his hands in Regulus' hair, holding his head in place as he moaned. "So good..." he managed to say half-coherently. He could feel his entire body flushing as desire mounted swiftly, making him ache. 

He didn't have to see Regulus' face to know he was probably smirking; the satisfaction tinged with smugness resonated along the bond, even as Regulus made his way leisurely across Gaius' chest, kissing and licking a path to Gaius' other nipple before teasing it as well with both his teeth and his tongue.

It was just as intense the second time, and Gaius didn't hold back anything, not his sounds of pleasure nor the waves of love and desire he focused on the bond, wanting them to reach Regulus so that Regulus would know exactly how much Gaius wanted him, how good he was making Gaius feel. Gaius hadn't had a lover in a century, not since he was turned, but he didn't remember anything ever feeling like this - not just physically satisfying, but emotionally satisfying as well. "You can do anything to me that you wish," he told Regulus, his fingers stroking through Regulus' hair. "Anything you want is yours for the taking."

"For now, I just want to take _you_ ," Regulus replied, lifting his head and looking at Gaius with obvious affection. "We can get creative later, when the edge is off."

"I'm good with that," Gaius replied, smiling in return. Regulus' affection warmed him in ways nothing else did, and he loosened his legs from Regulus' thighs. "Help me out of these sweatpants, then, and you may have me. I hope you don't mind that I'm more of a bottom than a top - no big, bad wolf here, I'm afraid."

"As if I hadn't figured _that_ out on my own," Regulus said, rolling his eyes, although he moved out of the way quickly so he could help Gaius wriggle out of his sweatpants. "I'm flexible, so no, I don't mind. Not at all."

"Good!" Gaius quickly shed the offending clothing. He'd not bothered with underpants when he'd showered at the infirmary, knowing that they'd simply be in the way. He felt no self-consciousness as he reclined against the pillows, putting himself on display for Regulus, his hands back over his head to clutch the top of the headboard, arching his body submissively. "Now my big, bad vampire can ravish his willing partner," he murmured huskily. "You like my warmth? Well, I'm hot for you now. Burning."

Regulus splayed his hand on Gaius' chest just over his heart, gazing at Gaius with searing intensity, and he smoothed his palm slowly down the length of Gaius' torso in a caress that was as possessive as it was affectionate. "Shameless," he said, although his tone implied it wasn't a bad thing at all, and he arched one eyebrow haughtily. "So you want to be ravished? What are you willing to do to earn a ravishing?"

Licking his lips, Gaius gazed up at Regulus with adoration and hunger. Regulus' every touch blazed a trail of delicious fire over his skin, and he wanted more. He wanted Regulus to take him, claim him, leave his mark on Gaius' body and soul, banishing the memory of any other touch. "Anything you'd like," he vowed without hesitation. "I'll touch you, taste you, take you into my mouth if that would please you. I'll tease you until you're wild and desperate or let you tie me up. Anything you want - anything at all... please just make me yours!"

"I want you to say please some more." Regulus' wicked smile widened as he moved away and stripped off his own pants slowly, seeming to put on a show of his own for Gaius' benefit. "I like it when you sound so desperate for me."

"I _am_ desperate," Gaius replied, his voice turning rough as he watched Regulus strip. Regulus was beautiful, and the sight of his lean, elegant, muscular body made Gaius moan. "Please, Regulus... I'm begging you. Please take me... please ravish me! Please love me so hard that I can't even remember my own name!"

Gaius could sense the surge of arousal his words evoked, but even if he hadn't, the alacrity with which Regulus yanked open the nightstand and retrieved a small bottle of lubricant would have spoken volumes as well. It was no time at all before Regulus was kneeling between his legs and preparing him, no longer seeming eager to prolong the teasing and torture, although Regulus did pause and glance up at him questioningly.

"I don't want to hurt you," Regulus said. "Are you sure you don't need to take it a little slowly this time?"

The things Regulus did to him made him ache with the need for more, and Gaius answered at once. "No." Gaius felt no hesitation, and he smiled reassuringly. "Please... I've waited for you so long, love! You won't hurt me. Please just make me yours before I go mad!"

Whatever reassurance Regulus needed, Gaius must have provided, because he could feel the moment Regulus let go of his reservations a split second before Regulus growled and pounced, pinning Gaius and claiming his mouth in a rough, demanding kiss.

Gaius parted his lips and met Regulus halfway, moaning with desperation against his mouth even as he twined his tongue with Regulus', relishing Regulus' taste along with his forcefulness. He thrust his hips up, seeking friction, seeking to ease the wild ache of need Regulus made him feel. Regulus was strong, and Gaius loved the sensation of being held down, the trust he felt in Regulus making it impossible for him to be worried about anything Regulus might do. All he felt was pure, melting desire, and an ache that only Regulus could relieve. He could feel Regulus' arousal as well, and it meshed with his own, added to it in a dizzying spiral of feedback. Soon all he could feel was the _want_ of them both, and it was so overwhelming, he thought he just might die if something wasn't done about it soon.

To his relief, he felt Regulus shifting, positioning himself, taking and claiming Gaius with one swift, hard thrust as if he too felt urgent need overwhelming him, and he heard Regulus' growl devolve into a throaty groan. Then he was lost in sensation, in the perfection of how they fit together, of the exquisite feeling of Regulus inside him as he'd longed for him to be. Gaius echoed Regulus' groan, arching up so that he could take Regulus in even deeper, wanting more - wanting everything that only Regulus could give him, a completion that he was certain would surpass any other in his entire life.

And then Regulus began to _move_ , claiming Gaius with deep, demanding thrusts, holding nothing back of his strength or his desire; Gaius could see Regulus' fangs descending and a preternatural glow in his eyes that warned of his rapidly fading self-control. The sight was beautiful, giving Gaius an immense feeling of satisfaction, beyond his own physical sensations. That Regulus - oh so controlled, pragmatic Regulus - could lose control for him made Gaius want to shout with joy. Regulus was rough, wild, and Gaius loved it, moving his hands so that he could cling to Regulus' shoulders, holding on as he was swept up in a swiftly mounting spiral of ecstasy. He felt not only his pleasure but Regulus' as well, and he couldn't help but throw back his head, releasing a keening cry that was almost a howl as he felt the world slip away. There was only Regulus, all around him and in him and through him, and it was perfect.

The single-minded focus that Regulus brought to his work had now been turned on Gaius, and it seemed that for Regulus, there was nothing else in the world - or at least nothing else on his mind but trying to pound Gaius through the mattress. Each thrust of his hips was another relentless demand for surrender, for Gaius' pleasure to overwhelm him, and then Regulus curled his fingers around Gaius' hard length, stroking him and driving him closer to the edge. 

It didn't take much; Gaius was already on the verge of shattering, and the feel of Regulus' hand around him, stroking him in time to his demanding thrusts swiftly had the desired effect. Gaius arched backward, crying out Regulus' name as he was transported to a level of ecstasy he'd never known, completely overwhelmed with sensation. A split second later, Regulus echoed Gaius' cry as he surged deep one last time, and Gaius could feel the ripples of Regulus' pleasure lapping at him across the bond, enhancing and prolonging his own. 

It seemed to go on forever, their shared pleasure taking a long time to ebb. Gaius held on to Regulus' shoulders, not even certain he was breathing but not really caring. When the intensity began to subside, he gasped, shuddering as he slowly came back down. He opened his eyes, giving Regulus a sated smile, moving one hand to caress Regulus' cheek tenderly. "I love you so much," he murmured softly. "That... that was the most perfect, incredible thing I've ever experienced in my life."

"It was rather good, wasn't it." Regulus grinned lazily as he eased away and collapsed next to Gaius with a weary "uff!" followed by a contented sigh. "I suppose I should take back all the uncharitable thoughts I've had about Severus lately. If sex is this good for him, it's no wonder he's got Remus on his mind all the time." 

Gaius chuckled, easing closer to Regulus and throwing an arm over his waist. "Why, Mr. Black, are you saying that you might have me on your mind all the time now?"

"Can you say you won't have _me_ on your mind?" Regulus countered, rolling his head on the pillow and raising one eyebrow at Gaius. "Or if not me specifically, then all the things you want me to do to you?"

"I've had you on my mind for a very long time," Gaius replied, caressing one finger down Regulus' cheek. "I've also thought long and hard about the things I want you to do to me. I've thought of little else, actually." He smiled wryly. "The difference now is that you'll know exactly what I'm thinking."

Rolling onto his side, Regulus shifted closer and reached out to smooth Gaius' damp hair back from his face. "Or feel it, at least, and the temptation to drop everything and run to find out the details will be harder to resist." 

Leaning into the touch, Gaius gave a sigh of contentment. "I'd like it if you couldn't resist," he said, then turned his head so that he could press his lips to Regulus' fingers. "I'm looking forward to all the years it will take to explore every pleasure imaginable with you."

Regulus nipped at the pads of Gaius' fingers playfully. "I've never been terribly creative about it before. Maybe we ought to make a list of firsts - things we always wanted to try but never did."

"If you'd like." Gaius smiled. "I know you're creative when you put your mind to it. Perhaps you've just not had the incentive before." He batted his eyes coyly, enjoying the chance to tease Regulus a bit. "I'll do my best to inspire you to new heights. Or depths, as the case may be."

"I'm sure you will," Regulus said, chuckling, and he snaked his arm around Gaius to drag him closer. "You're a demanding little puppy." 

"Would you want me to change?" Gaius asked, lifting a brow, but his lips were curved upward because he was certain he knew the answer. "Would you like for me to be less enamored of you, less devoted, less head over heels in love with you?"

"What would I do without someone dogging my heels, giving me wide-eyed looks of pure tragic appeal, and needing to be rescued from big bad wolves at every turn?" Regulus countered, amusement lacing his voice. "No, I suppose I'll have to make do with you just as you are," he added, enfolding Gaius in his arms and tangling their limbs. 

Gaius went into the embrace willingly, holding Regulus close and tight. "You've got me," he replied. "All of me. Forever."

"Good." Regulus smiled and leaned in to kiss Gaius lightly. "Now if I can just convince Sirius to stop loathing me, everything will be perfect." 

"One step at a time," Gaius replied, returning the kiss with affection. He felt more content and happy than he could ever remember feeling before in his life, and he relished the joy he felt in knowing that Regulus loved him, wanted him, and would be with him for all of eternity. "We have time, right? You'll wear him down, eventually. The bond will help. After all, you hated me when we were first bonded, and look at us now." He looked at Regulus with a teasing expression. "You almost tolerate me now!"

" _Almost_ ," Regulus teased back even as he slid one hand down to caress Gaius' hip. "You're right, though. We have time, and I'm the patient sort. We'll work it out one way or another eventually." 

Gaius felt a tingle of desire, even though he was sated. He knew immortals could be insatiable - just look at Remus and Severus! - but he'd never experienced it for himself. Until now.

His eyes darkened, and he looked at Regulus with a predatory smile. "Keep that up, love, and I'll have to beg you to tolerate me again," he said huskily. "And maybe again after that."

Rather than deter Regulus, however, the "threat" made him caress Gaius again, a wicked gleam appearing in his pale eyes. "Why don't I tolerate you again in the shower?" he suggested. "We can clean up, get dirty, and clean up again all in one place."

"And you said you weren't creative!" Gaius laughed, then moved swiftly, rolling Regulus over and straddling him so that he could lean down and kiss him deeply. "I do hope you'll be very, very tolerant," he purred against Regulus' lips. "Because I'm feeling very dirty."

"I'm feeling quite tolerant indeed," Regulus replied, nipping at Gaius' bottom lip, and then he swatted Gaius' backside playfully. "Come on, then. Let's get in the shower, and I'll wash my dirty little puppy." He craned up and licked Gaius' chin, then settled back against the pillow, smirking. "Then I'll even use soap." 

Laughing, Gaius ran his hands over Regulus' chest teasingly, then moved off him, sliding over the edge of the bed and standing. He turned toward the bathroom, looking back over his shoulder at Regulus and wriggling his arse in what he hoped was an enticing manner. "Coming?" he asked coyly.

Regulus rolled off the bed and followed, stalking after Gaius with a predatory gait. "Yes," he said, his eyes gleaming as he watched Gaius' antics. "And so are you very soon."

~*~*~*~*~*~


	22. Chapter 22

It had taken some time to get everyone settled in the castle, but they somehow managed to find accommodations for all of the vampires and werewolves they brought back with them. There were many more werewolves than vampires, of course, but fortunately, Alastor and his red-headed lieutenants were there to help, and Severus made sure to house them in a wing of the castle at some distance from where the vampires were to be lodged, with plenty of guards patrolling the hallways in between. It was a relief to know that once sunrise came, he wouldn't have to worry about the vampires seeking vengeance on their former captors, but that also left them vulnerable to any marauding lycanthropes who were intent on making trouble. Hopefully the state of armed truce wouldn't be necessary for very long, but Severus made it clear to both sides that he wasn't going to tolerate trouble between the two groups; sedition would be treated with incarceration, and anyone harming another immortal might be in danger of losing his own claim to that state.

Their erstwhile guests seemed to take it rather well, actually, with one notable exception. Fortunately, Severus had no hesitation when it came to dealing with Sirius Black; he confined Black to a nice suite with half a dozen armed humans outside with orders to shoot on sight. What he didn't bother to tell Black was that the guards were equipped with tranquilizer rounds rather than liquid silver. If the thought that he might risk his own extermination if he so much as stuck his nose outside the door of his quarters before the next night kept him in check, Severus was fine with it. Otherwise Black could sleep off a neurotoxin induced hangover down in the dungeons for the next century or so, until he learned to be a civilized being.

The seven vampires had been surprisingly docile, but then they probably were grateful to be alive and among friends. Regulus had taken himself off to shower and left Severus and Remus to deal with the vampires, but Severus didn't mind. He might not know them as well as Regulus did, but as the eldest surviving vampire, the others recognized Severus' authority. It was a good thing that werewolves weren't the only ones used to operating in a hierarchical structure.

By the time sunrise had rendered one faction of their new community inert, Severus was quite ready for a break himself. Remus had been busy with examining various injured parties in the infirmary, but at this point, Severus was ready to consign any others who might be waiting to the care of the staff so he could whisk Remus off for a much deserved rest. He had one of the guards procure a large blanket, and with it folded over his arm, he made his way to the infirmary, stepping inside and walking immediately over to Remus.

"You're done now," he said, slipping an arm around Remus' waist. "You've taken care of everyone else, and now I'm going to take care of you."

Remus glanced up at him, startled, and blinked in confusion. "I'm done? But..." Then it seemed the implications of Severus' words sank in, and he chuckled. "I thought I was supposed to be in charge," he said, amusement lacing his voice. "Doesn't that mean you can't order me around?"

Severus smirked in response. "You're in charge of _them_. _I_ am in charge of you," he replied. Leaning closer, he nuzzled Remus' cheek and dropped his voice to a low, sultry purr. "Unless you would prefer to stay here in the sterile, metallic environment of the infirmary rather than watching me parade naked on the beach."

Remus' eyes grew wide as he nodded. "I'm done here," he said quickly. He left Severus' side just long enough to confer with one of his human assistants, and then he returned, shedding his lab coat and tossing it over the back of the nearest chair. "Let's go." He tucked his arm through Severus' and smiled up at him. "I'm _very_ interested in the change of scenery you described."

"Excellent. I rather thought you would be," Severus drawled, pleased with Remus' eagerness to fall in with his plans. He drew Remus closer, taking pleasure and comfort in Remus' warmth and closeness. "Our guests are settled in, so we're free to do as we'd like. Personally, what I'd like is to shag you senseless, but I'm up for any suggestions you might have as well."

"No, no, I'm happy to go along with the shagging me option," Remus replied, squeezing Severus' arm. "I think everyone is settled in enough that we can take a break, but if any emergencies arise, I've got a pager so we can be reached."

Privately Severus resolved to throw the pager into the ocean if it went off, but he didn't say so aloud. "Of course," he said easily. They left the infirmary and headed down the corridor toward the back entrance to the castle which led toward the ocean and cliffs. There were two branches, an upper which exited at the top of the sheer, rocky drop to the ocean and another, narrower route that appeared to have been hand-carved from the living rock. It was a fairly straight tunnel, illuminated by modern fluorescents overhead, with some larger caves at irregular points along its path, natural chambers which had been incorporated into the route. Severus pointed out one of them, which was filled with a stack of ancient looking crates. "One of the guards said that Godric told him this had been used in centuries past to smuggle in supplies in periods of political turmoil. Apparently there are records for everything in all these caves, and I thought perhaps it would be good occupation for some of the more bookishly inclined of our new brethren to figure out what we can use and what can be discarded. Busy work in a sense, but I think if this lot isn't kept gainfully occupied, we're going to have squabbles."

"I think you're right," Remus replied, surveying their surroundings with interest. "Not to mention some of them may suffer the same feeling of displacement Regulus did. The focus has been on surviving and fighting for so long on both sides, there's bound to be an adjustment period now that their primary purpose has been taken away."

"Definitely," Severus agreed. They were drawing near to the tunnel mouth, and the golden light of early morning filtered in, warmer than the artificial lights. Severus paused, looking out into the daylight. "I still can't get over being able to go out in the sun after all this time." Turning to Remus, he cradled Remus' cheek with one hand. "I still think you're warmer, and I wouldn't trade you for all the sunrises in the world, but I'm looking forward to sharing this with you."

Leaning into the touch, Remus smiled up at him, his pale eyes full of affection. "I'm looking forward to it, too. I'm glad you're able to enjoy the sun again. After everything that's happened, you deserve something good to come out of it."

"But you deserve more. I may have been brought into all this under false pretenses, but at least it was my choice. You, on the other hand..." Severus leaned down and kissed Remus' smile gently, wanting to taste that still-innocent expression. "You were subjected to an unwilling, violent introduction into this world, and I can only admire your strength and resilience in how well you've coped with it. You're the one who deserves a reward, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make certain you receive it. I can't make up for what you've been through and what you've lost, but I'm going to try to make it a life you don't regret living."

Remus' expression softened into pure soppiness, and he wound his arms around Severus' waist, pressing close. "I've done my best," he said. "I've had my down moments, as you know, but it's helped that things have been so busy. I haven't had a lot of time to dwell on the negatives, and being with you makes up for a lot. I may have lost some things, but I've definitely gained as well."

Severus didn't really mind the soppiness, not from Remus, but for form's sake, he snorted and rolled his eyes before kissing Remus again. "Good. That's a start, at least - and we have time to work on making it better," he said. "Now the beach awaits, and I am eager to see the sunlight on your skin. Shall we go?"

"Ready when you are," Remus replied cheerfully, drawing back and taking Severus' arm again. "I'm looking forward to seeing the sun on your skin as well."

Walking forward, Severus led Remus along the last few meters of the tunnel, then stepped out from the entrance in the cliff face onto the brilliant white sand of the beach. Given the rocky terrain of the area, it was a surprisingly smooth and wide expanse, set into a small, protected cove with headlands jutting out into the ocean on either side. The water in front of them was a deep sapphire blue, while the sky was streaked with fingers of gold and pink from the sun, which was just cresting above the eastern cliff.

Severus looked around quietly for a few moments, unable to absorb that he was seeing this with his own eyes after so long a time. Then he turned to Remus, seeing the way the sunlight glinted in Remus' hair and made Remus crinkle his eyes at the corners, and he knew that nothing he saw in the sunlight would ever compare to Remus.

"Come... I've brought a blanket," he murmured, taking Remus' hand and pulling him toward the water. He glanced over his shoulder, giving an evil smile. "And you don't have to worry about anyone interrupting us. I told the guards that if anyone came down here before we returned to the castle, I'd see to it that he became one of Regulus' targets on the shooting range."

Remus laughed and squeezed Severus' hand as he let Severus lead him closer to the shore. "A dire threat indeed! I doubt we'd have anyone dare to disturb us if we stayed down here a week with that threat hanging over their head."

"Which is fine with me," Severus said. "Discipline must be maintained, especially with this lot." Giving Remus a squeeze, he released him, then unfolded the blanket and laid it out on the sand, adjusting the edges with care. Then he toed his shoes off and stepped onto the blanket, holding out a hand to Remus. "Join me?"

Remus slipped off his shoes and socks, and then he clasped Severus' hand and stepped onto the blanket as well. "You promised I'd see you naked on the beach and that you'd shag me senseless," he said, giving Severus a playfully arch look. "I'm going to hold you to that promise."

Severus chuckled, then grasped Remus' shoulders and tackled him to the ground, landing on top and pinning him with a victorious smirk. "I don't think that will be a problem at all. Before I bare my bum, however, I am going to kiss you breathless." With that, he captured Remus' lips in a deep, possessive kiss.

Moaning, Remus parted his lips without hesitation and wound his arms around Severus' shoulders, holding Severus close and tight; his surrender was immediate and complete, and he responded to Severus' possessiveness eagerly.

Reveling in Remus' responsiveness, Severus slid his tongue between Remus' lips, plundering his mouth hungrily. He was addicted to the way Remus tasted, to the way he felt, and he felt his desire rising, a slow burn on the verge of becoming an inferno. No one had ever been able to inflame Severus the way Remus did, and he didn't hold anything back, pressing Remus into the firm sand and thrusting his hips teasingly in an attempt to drive Remus wild.

His moans growing even louder, Remus braced his feet on the blanket and let his knees fall open wider, meeting and matching the rhythm of Severus' hips; he dug his fingers into Severus' back, his body growing taut, letting Severus know that his efforts were having the effect he wanted.

Pulling back with a nip of Remus' full bottom lip, Severus looked down into Remus' flushed face. "Beautiful," he murmured, pushing up Remus' sweatshirt so that he could stroke the bare, warm skin of Remus chest and stomach. "And all mine."

Remus arched his back as if seeking more of Severus' caresses, and he gazed at Severus with half-lidded eyes. "All yours," he agreed huskily. "Any way you want me, I'm yours."

"Good." Severus smirked, straightening up enough to allow him room to strip his jumper off over his head. Then he grasped Remus' sweatshirt at the hem, the fabric parting beneath his vampiric strength with a satisfying rip. He looked down at Remus' bare chest, reaching out to run a hand over the tempting expanse of skin and tweak one of Remus' nipples playfully. "If you're mine, I get to play with you any way I want."

Remus gasped, his eyes darkening with arousal, and he arched up again, even as he stretched his arms up and back, letting them come to rest over his head, and crossed them at the wrist, putting himself on submissive display. "Yes, you do," he replied, a hint of a growl underlying his voice. "I'm yours, and I want you to play with me however you like."

The submissiveness set off an explosion of need in Severus, appealing to him on a primitive level he'd never experienced before. He swooped down, capturing one of Remus' nipples with a hungry growl, nipping it with his teeth before sucking it between his lips. Remus held back nothing of his pleasure, crying out and writhing beneath Severus with utter abandon, and his face grew even more flushed, a sure sign of his heightened arousal.

"Yes, yes... Feels so good..." Remus sounded breathless, the words more than half a moan.

"Good. I want it to feel good for you," Severus replied against Remus' skin. He couldn't seem to ever get enough of the touch or taste of Remus' body, and he moved his attention to the other nipple, gifting it with equal attention while he ran his hands over all the bare skin he could reach. Remus looked so beautiful, and his moans of pleasure were beautiful to Severus' ears.

Severus' own desire mounted swiftly; Remus set him ablaze with ridiculous ease. Sliding his hands downward, he lifted up enough to get his hands between them, unfastening Remus' jeans and slipping a hand inside to tease him with a squeezing caress.

A low growl rumbled in Remus' chest as he rocked his hips up in response, and Severus could see a feral light gleaming in his eyes. "More... please, more!" Remus groaned, reaching out to clutch Severus' shoulders in a desperately tight grip as if Severus was his lifeline.

A smug smile curved Severus' lips; he couldn't help feeling like a sex god the way Remus responded to him, and he leaned down to brush a swift, hard kiss against Remus' lips. "I'll give you more. I'll give you everything you want and need," he promised huskily. 

Deciding to dispense with the rest of their clothing, he quickly removed Remus' jeans and underpants, stripping them down and off his legs. Severus' own trousers were easily discarded, and he'd not bothered with any other clothing, knowing he'd just be removing it anyway, but he did remove the bottle of lube he'd brought along from a pocket, placing it close at hand. Now they were both naked, and Severus didn't even mind the cool breeze blowing off the ocean, not when Remus was gloriously bare, his beautiful body flushed, muscles quivering beneath the skin. 

He knelt between Remus' thighs, caressing his hands up Remus' legs, over the jut of his hip to his narrow waist, then up Remus' arms before traveling back downward again over Remus' torso, getting his fill of the touch and sight of Remus like this, so wanton and free. Then he chuckled, reaching for the lube and coating one hand with it liberally while he slid downward onto his stomach. "I didn't have breakfast. Isn't it fortunate that you are here and so delectable?" he purred, giving Remus a wicked look. He probed gently at the opening to Remus' body, while he lowered his head and, still holding Remus' gaze, took Remus' warm, hard length into his mouth.

The wild light in Remus' eyes grew brighter, and the rumbling growl grew louder as Remus rocked his hips up, offering himself freely and fully; every line of his body was relaxed, and his expression was open, no shadows in his eyes or hesitancy in his body. He had given himself over to the moment - to Severus - completely, illustrating his utter faith and trust in Severus far more clearly than any mere words could express. 

"It's fortunate for both of us," Remus replied, his breathing ragged. "I have no objections to being devoured as long as it's by you."

Severus hummed with satisfaction, the sight and feel of Remus' pleasure, the display of his trust and emotion as potently arousing as any touch. He didn't know what he had done to deserve a lover like Remus, but he wasn't about to question the fate which had brought them together. All he could do was make every effort to live up to the promise in Remus' eyes, to make Remus as happy as he was himself so that Remus wouldn't be able to even dream of ever leaving.

To that end, he kept up the efforts of his hand and mouth, preparing Remus' body even as he brought Remus close to the edge then backed him down again and again, wanting to drive Remus into complete, mindless rapture. He could feel Remus' arousal escalating, not only in Remus' physical responses, but within himself as well, as if the feelings were resonating along a connection between himself and Remus. Beneath him, Remus began to writhe, rocking his hips helplessly and tossing his head, and his breathing grew erratic as he gasped and growled; his body was taut and quivering, and Severus caught a glimpse of his fangs elongating as he relinquished his hold over his self-control.

"Please, Severus... Need you," he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "Need you now!"

There was no way Severus could resist Remus' cry, and he moved, straightening and reaching for the lube again. It took only a moment, and then he was grasping Remus' hips and positioning himself, watching avidly as he moved slowly forward, claiming Remus' body with one long, deep thrust. "Is that what you need?" he asked raggedly, holding still with an effort in order to keep from going over the edge at once.

"Yes!" Remus cried out as Severus filled him, and he clamped his hands on Severus' arse as if trying to drive him deeper. "I want you - need you - need to be yours..."

"You are mine... all mine!" Severus groaned. He couldn't hold back any longer, and he began to move, taking Remus hard and fast. He moved one hand to grasp Remus' arousal, stroking him in counterpoint, watching Remus' face avidly, wanting to see the moment when Remus came undone.

The harder Severus thrust, the wilder Remus grew, writhing beneath Severus and urging him on. Severus could feel Remus' sharpening nails scoring his back, and the wolf had gained ascendancy in Remus' eyes, turning him into a creature of pure, primal sensuality and passion. He could feel the tension mounting in Remus' body, could feel the moment it snapped, and Remus threw back his head and howled with release, clinging to Severus as he rode out the aftermath.

The sight of it was the most incredible thing Severus had ever seen. It was almost too much - watching Remus, _feeling_ his pleasure almost as powerfully as he could feel his own, all if it heightened by the edge of pain as Remus scratched his back. Then Remus shattered, and Severus couldn't hold back, pounding into Remus, driving him back against the sand as his own passion flared out of control. He cried out Remus' name, overwhelmed by the the ecstasy and the perfection of their shared release.

As he came slowly down from the heights, Severus moved to one side, collapsing next to Remus on the blanket, almost too weak to move. He did manage to get his arm over Remus' waist, burying his face in the side of Remus' neck and drowning himself in the scent of Remus. "I think I've died, and this is heaven," he murmured. "That makes you an angel. Fitting for my perfect Remus."

Chuckling softly, Remus stroked Severus' forearm with gentle fingers. "I'm not perfect," he replied. "I'm just me. But this _is_ heavenly. Sunlight suits you."

"Not as well as it suits you," Severus replied. He looked at the contrast of his still-pale arm against Remus' more natural coloration. "But I'm not arguing; this feels too wonderful to taint with even a hint of disagreement." He kissed the warm, damp skin below Remus' ear, reveling in the pounding pulse he could feel beneath his lips, smugly satisfied that he had been the cause of making Remus' heart race out of control. "Mmmm... I am decidedly disinclined to move. Think I can sunburn?"

"After six centuries of being nocturnal? I think you're asking for the mother of all sunburns if you stay out here too long," Remus said, tilting his head to offer Severus better access. "But we don't have to move yet. The sun isn't strong yet, and you haven't even begun turning pink."

Severus took the silent invitation, flicking his tongue out to taste Remus' satiation. "I'll trust your medical judgment, so you'll have to tell me when we have to go in. Otherwise I'm happy to enjoy being warmed by you and that big, bright thing up there."

Remus laughed and wound his arms around Severus, pulling him close and snuggling up to him thoroughly. "I'll warm you all you like." He fell silent for a moment, and then he glanced at Severus almost shyly. "You didn't bite me. Would you like to now? It could be afterplay, rather than foreplay."

Surprised at the offer, Severus pulled back so that he could look into Remus' eyes. "You seem uncomfortable with it," he replied, lifting one hand to stroke Remus' cheek. "I would rather not do something you don't like."

"How am I going to learn to like it unless we do it?" Remus pointed out pragmatically. He gazed at Severus, his expression open and calm, giving off no hint of apprehension. "You enjoy it, and I want to learn to enjoy it too. I don't want to deprive you of something that would give you pleasure."

"Hmmm..." Severus couldn't fault Remus' logic, but he also didn't want to do anything with which Remus had negative associations. "I'm not sure you can learn to like it; I would think it was something you either did or you didn't. Maybe we can find a bit of a compromise, though." Leaning close again, Severus pressed his lips to Remus' neck, kissing it tenderly. Then he parted his lips, letting his fangs descend and rest against the tender flesh, just over Remus' pulse. He didn't press, simply let Remus feel his teeth there.

"Mmm..." Remus tilted his chin and tightened his arms around Severus, pressing closer, and Severus felt a little thrum of pleasure along the bond connecting them. "No problem so far," Remus whispered huskily.

"I want to keep it that way," Severus replied, but the way Remus responded was encouraging. He decided to go a little further, moving so the tips of his fangs barely indented Remus' skin. They were very sharp, but he held back from puncturing the skin, not wanting to cause Remus pain.

Remus inhaled sharply, and he tipped his chin up even more, baring his throat. "Please, Severus," he murmured, threading his fingers through Severus' hair. "Please bite me. I want to feel you claim me in every possible way."

With a soft moan, Severus gave in, unable to resist Remus' pleading or the way Remus seemed so relaxed and open. Severus sensed no hesitation in him, no anxiety or fear, and it was impossible to deny that he _wanted_ to do it, wanted it with a possessive hunger that he felt only for Remus, and so he bit down, letting his fangs pierce Remus' flesh, tasting the sweet, coppery tang of Remus' blood on his tongue.

Remus cried out softly, but the sound - and the feeling accompanying it - was laced with pleasure as well as pain, and he clung to Severus, holding him close; Severus couldn't feel any tension in Remus' body, only surrender, and Remus rested one hand on the back of Severus' head, as if offering silent encouragement.

It had been centuries since Severus had tasted wine, but Remus' blood was headier, more alluring than anything he remembered from his mortal days. He hummed as he tasted a bit more, but he wasn't going to feed from Remus, so a taste was enough. Lifting his fangs away, he lapped at the punctures with his tongue, soothing the sting and stopping the bleeding. "Thank you," he said, lifting up his head to look down into Remus' eyes. "Are you certain you're all right?"

Instead of replying, Remus captured Severus' face between his hands and drew him down into a kiss, parting his lips and encouraging Severus to deepen the kiss. Severus didn't hesitated to do so, enjoying this taste of Remus as well, pulling Remus into his arms and plundering his mouth, both pleased and oddly humbled by Remus' trusting submission and his willingness to please Severus, even in something that had once filled him with trepidation.

Humming quietly, Remus tasted and explored as well, seeming curious about the taste of his own blood on Severus' tongue; he wriggled against Severus, his desire seeming to kindle anew, but he was still relaxed, and Severus felt contentment radiating from him in lapping waves.

Pulling Remus close and tight, Severus stroked his hands down Remus' body, feeling rather content himself. He nipped at Remus' lower lip as he pulled back just enough to speak. "You seemed to enjoy that," he murmured against Remus' lips. "What can I offer you in return? Any pleasure you desire, I will give to you. I want you to know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you to make you happy."

Remus smiled, a smile of pure sated contentment, and he arched against Severus' hands, growling softly. "You already gave me great pleasure. You took me out of myself, shattered me, and put me back together again. Maybe it's the bond, maybe it's because we're both more than human, or maybe it's just you. Whatever the reason, you give me far more than anyone else ever has."

"Good - I want to give you more than anyone else has," Severus replied, unable to suppress a pleased smiled at Remus' praise. He kissed Remus again, swift and hard. "But if you keep saying things like that, I'm going to end up insufferable, with a head swelled so large I won't be able to get around in the castle. And it will be _all_ your fault; no one else has ever seemed to think I was anything special, so I blame you."

"The more fool them," Remus replied, stroking Severus' back and ending with a playful pat of Severus' arse. "They weren't paying enough attention, which is lucky for me, because it means I get you all to myself."

"Yes, you do. All of me." Severus wriggled his arse against Remus' hand. Then he chuckled. "You should tell that to Regulus, you know.. He definitely paid more attention to his guns than to anything I was packing. Gaius has bound himself to the most single-minded person I know, but perhaps Regulus has found a way to channel that one-track mind of his in Gaius' direction."

Remus nestled closer, still stroking Severus' back gently, and he smiled wryly. "I hope so! Things do seem to have improved between them."

"It appears so, yes," Severus agreed. He had loyalty to Regulus, but even he had to admit that his oldest friend wasn't exactly a warm and passionate lover, nor one given to displays of affection. Still, Severus hadn't been either, not until Remus; apparently finding the right person was what made all the difference. He smiled down at Remus. "I think Regulus might surprise us all. I know for a fact that the correct person is all it takes. There wasn't much to choose for us until I met you."

Remus laughed and gave Severus a squeeze. "I'll take that as a compliment rather than damning with faint praise," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. "But yes, the right person makes all the difference."

Severus gazed at Remus with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Now that we're agreed, let's get off the subject of those two and back to more pleasant topics and pursuits. Such as... have you ever shagged in the ocean? I haven't, but I imagine it could be an interesting experience, if you're game."

Remus' smile turned coy, and he gave Severus a flirtatious look. "No, I've never done it either, but I'm willing to give it a try."

"Excellent!" Pleased with Remus' acquiescence, Severus sat up, then rolled to his knees. Before Remus could move, Severus slipped one arm beneath his shoulders and another under his knees, lifting Remus easily as he rose to his feet. "I hope now isn't too soon," he said, carrying Remus toward the water. "I find all this talk of my prowess has made me eager to demonstrate it again."

Winding his arms around Severus' shoulders, Remus leaned in and nipped sharply at Severus' earlobe. "Now is as good a time as any as far as I'm concerned," he purred in Severus' ear. "I'm eager for you to demonstrate your prowess again, too."

Severus gasped at the feel of Remus' teeth on the sensitive flesh of his ear, but he didn't mind it at all; he _liked_ it, liked it very much indeed, and he hoped that Remus might become as willing to bite him as he seemed to be willing to be bitten. "Then we are in accord," he said, stepping into the water. He knew that he and Remus would probably have disagreements in the centuries to come, perhaps even arguments; but as long as they both desired each other and could find solace in each other's arms, Severus didn't believe that there was anything that could come between them for long. Given that they were immortal, that was a very good thing, indeed.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	23. Chapter 23

Remus watched as the vampires, werewolves, and humans filed into the spacious main hall of Gryffindor's castle, to which they'd all been summoned. There were folding chairs available, but from his vantage point on the dais, he could see most of them had opted to stand clustered together with little intermingling, but he hoped that would change soon. 

He'd discussed his ideas with Severus, who had agreed they were sound; he hadn't particularly wanted to be in a leadership position, but now that he was, he was determined to do a good job of it, and the first thing he wanted to do was make certain the war didn't break out all over again. With most of the vampires and werewolves still at odds, it would be far too easy for a little spark to erupt into another conflagration, with the humans caught in the middle, but Remus wasn't going to let that happen. Nor was he going to force either side to continue living in what amounted to house arrest under armed guard. 

He moved to stand behind a large wooden lectern while he waited for everyone to arrive, but he wasn't alone on the dais; Severus was there too, along with Regulus and Gaius since they all had significant parts to play in shaping the new order of things. Remus might be the nominal leader, but he didn't intend to lead alone; he had a vampire elder, a pack Alpha, and a historian on his side, and he intended to put their skills to good use, on top of all the bright human minds Gryffindor had employed. 

He glanced back at Severus and smiled affectionately before turning his attention to his notes; he was still pleasantly sore from their multiple rounds of love-making over the course of the morning, and he and Severus both had cheeks and noses turned pink from the sun. He hadn't let Severus stay out too long, though, and he'd slathered Severus in an aloe vera based lotion before they crawled into bed to sleep for the rest of the day so Severus wouldn't suffer any ill-effects from sun exposure after centuries of being nocturnal. 

He had also instructed Locke to spread the word that he wanted everyone to meet in the main hall at eight o'clock that night. Alastor was doing a headcount of the werewolves, Regulus was doing a headcount of the vampires, and Locke was doing a headcount of the humans. The vampires were all accounted for first, given they were fewest in number, and it wasn't long before Alastor reported that all the werewolves were present. 

The murmur of the gathered crowd growing louder as the room filled, and Remus turned to his companions on the dais as they waited for the last arrivals to trickle in. "Well, it's almost showtime," he said, keeping his voice low so no preternatural ears could eavesdrop on the conversation. "How do you think they'll react to the bonding idea?" 

Severus gave Remus a smug smile, but his eyes glinted with a blend of much deeper emotions. "They'll probably fight it tooth and nail at first, but if they have any sense at all, they'll take advantage of the rather unique pleasures it provides," he said, his voice also low. "It all depends on how you present it, too: bond and get the advantages and protections of the castle, or refuse and be ejected to fend for yourself. Most of this lot seems to have enough of a sense of self-preservation to at least give it a try." He gave Regulus a wry look, and Regulus merely gave him a smug smile in response. "I hope."

Gaius was sitting close to Regulus, seemingly unable to keep his eyes from Regulus' face, and it was impossible to miss the flush on his cheeks or the glint of happiness in his eyes. "I think if they are told the history - the true history - it would help. Also if they see that it won't be to subjugate any of them, but to foster a deeper connection and understanding. Although it does seem to be a bit unfair to the vampires, that they will have to take on multiple bonds. If necessary, you might consider letting some of the werewolves like Alastor, Bill, and Percival hold off on bonding until there are more vampires. You trust them already; it's the others you have to worry about."

"Not to worry," Remus replied. "I have a plan. One that involves you, actually, if I can tear your attention away from Regulus for a minute or two," he added, looking pointedly at Gaius. "I'm going to give everyone a brief overview of the history, but I'd like you to write up a more detailed account that we can copy and distribute. I think it might help if we give them something they can read and digest at their own pace."

He also had a plan for making the numbers a little more even between the vampires and the werewolves, but he intended to save that information until he was addressing the entire crowd. 

"All right." Gaius nodded, looking pleased. "It would be fun to be an educator again. I miss teaching, and being able to teach something that directly impacts everyone's life is even better."

"For those who can read," Severus said under his breath. He glanced around the room, seeing that almost everyone seemed to be present. "Well, it looks like this motley crew is about ready for you. Speak slowly and use small words, or you'll lose them."

Remus tsked and gave him a reproachful look. "That's the kind of attitude that got you lot into this mess, remember? Be nice." He paused, remembering whom he was talking to. "Be polite," he amended. 

Severus snorted. "Ask Gaius if I'm wrong, but all right, since it's you." He gave Remus a wicked look. "I shall expect a reward for my politeness later."

"Unfortunately, he's not far off in a few cases," Gaius said with a sigh.

"Well, you can hold a special seminar for anyone who has trouble with your document," Remus replied pragmatically. "In the meantime," he added, giving Severus an amused look, "I'll try to be aware of my audience. It can't be that much different from trying to explain things to patients." He straightened and squared his shoulders. "Here goes..." he murmured before turned back to the lectern and facing the crowd once more. 

There still wasn't much intermingling, although the humans seemed far more comfortable with mixing it up with their supernatural companions; most of the gathered throng had finally availed themselves of the chairs provided, which was a relief to Remus since he didn't like to think about his audience bolting from the room. 

"Good evening," he said, casting a pleasant smile around the room. "I haven't met all of you yet, so let me begin by introducing myself. I'm Remus Lupin. Godric Gryffindor was my ancestor, many times removed, which makes me his heir. It's also made me different. Thanks to my genes, I've become the first werewolf/vampire hybrid-"

A surprised murmur swept through the crowd, although none of the humans appeared surprised; it wasn't news to them at all, only to the vampires and werewolves who were new to the castle. 

"-which I hope goes to show our two kinds aren't as different as we've been led to think." Remus paused to glance down at his notes, but it was purely for form's sake; he knew what he wanted to say, but he thought it might be best to give the others a moment to let the first bombshell sink in before he lobbed another one. "I've gathered you all here together for several reasons, the main one being that I want to tell you the truth about the war and why it started. I'm going to give you a condensed version, but Gaius here-" He gestured to bring their collective attention to Gaius. "-will provide everyone with a more detailed, written account in the near future."

Gaius stood for a moment, nodding at the audience. "I'm also available for questions about the history, if there is something you don't understand or want to know more about." He gave a rueful smile. "I don't know everything, but I'll try to find out, or I'll point you where to find it for yourself." He sat down once more, slightly flushed, possibly in response to a few snorts from people in the crowd.

Remus offered him a reassuring smile and nodded in thanks before continuing. "The short version is Voldemort wanted power and control, not only over the werewolves, but over the vampires as well. He lied to and manipulated everyone for centuries, and he instigated this war in order to secure his own power base. James wanted revenge against Voldemort for Lily's murder, Lily being James' bonded mate - and Voldemort's own daughter. Voldemort used James' rebellion to convince the vampires that the werewolves should be eliminated. It was pointless, and it never should have gone on as long as it did, but it has ended now," he said firmly. 

There were more murmurs, although the undercurrent was a blend of dubious and disgruntled at that announcement. 

"Before Voldemort's interference, the vampires and werewolves lived together in peace," Remus continued, ignoring the rustling. "The mere fact that James and Lily married and conceived a child together should tell you much about what things were like then. I think we can restore the balance. I think vampires and werewolves can work together as equals again, but it's going to take time and cooperation. Holding on to old anger and grudges isn't going to help anything change," he said, letting his gaze linger on Sirius, who scowled. "But I know some of you have been fighting for centuries, and old habits are hard to break, which is why I've devised a plan to help the process along." 

He paused and breathed deeply, knowing this was the moment when everything could go horribly wrong. "For those of you who aren't aware of it yet, vampires and werewolves are capable of creating a bond. For whatever reason, it only works between werewolves and vampires, not between two werewolves or two vampires. The bond is created when the pair offer each other their blood willingly. James and Lily shared such a bond. So do Severus and I," he said, glancing back at Severus fondly. "So do Regulus and Gaius." He decided not to mention the one-sided bond between Regulus and Sirius, not wanting to poke any sore spots for either of them. "We believe Gellert and Albus might have been bonded as well. The bond can be created between friends, relatives, or lovers, and it does more to promote understanding and unity than any mere words or truces could do." 

He paused and gazed steadily out at the crowd, hoping his next words would be better received than he thought they would be. "For that reason, we're going to require most of the vampires and werewolves who want access to our resources to create a bond." 

There were more than murmurs greeting that statement; several of the werewolves surged to their feet, shouting angrily about never being slaves to the vampires again. Alastor, who had been thoroughly briefed about the plans before this meeting, stood as well and moved with surprising swiftness toward the trouble makers. He snarled, reaching out a hand to smack each of the protesters on the side of their heads, for all the world seeming like an adult disciplining a group of misbehaving pups. It was effective; the werewolves subsided back to grumbles, and after a stern look from Alastor, even those faded out. Alastor looked at Remus, nodding for him to continue.

The vampires appeared none too pleased about the announcement either, and a couple of them bared their fangs and hissed at the rowdy werewolves, but they didn't offer to get up and leave. Remus knew better than to assume it was because they were devoted to the idea of peace, however; it was far more likely that they were at least willing to hear him out because they knew how difficult it would be for them to fare in the real world on their own. The werewolves could blend in with relative ease, but with their restricted diet and enforced slumber, the vampires would have a much more difficult time. 

"We're already working to recover the vampires' assets," Remus continued. "Diagon Industries, safe houses, bank accounts, other corporations - all of it. With that added to Gryffindor's resources, we can offer those of you who stay here a _lot_ of help. We can provide you with blood substitute or the anti-transformation drug, with identification papers, whatever you need. If you want to find a job or a home in the human world, we can help with that, too. I know a lot of you are probably feeling adrift, and we'll do whatever we can to help you find a new focus - a new purpose. But we'll only do that if you agree to accept a bond." 

He fixed the group with a stern look. "If you refuse, you'll be given enough resources to get you started in the world, but that will be all you get from us. You'll have no access to blood substitute, to the drug, to safe houses, to money - nothing. You'll be entirely on your own to sink or swim as best you can, although we _will_ monitor you. If your behavior compromises our safety or if you attempt to move against us, you'll be dealt with." He paused a moment to let that sink in. "There are a few werewolves who are exempt. Alastor has been given a list of those for whom bonding will be optional, not mandatory, namely those werewolves who have shown they want lasting peace as much as we do. That still leaves a pretty big imbalance, though." He didn't add that Sayid, who has adapted to his new situation with surprising alacrity, was the only vampire for whom bonding was optional, not wanting to stir up resentment among the vampires.

He focused more on the humans in the crowd then. "I've already circulated a memo among Gryffindor's employees, asking for volunteers to be turned as vampires. Those who volunteer will be given a full psychiatric work-up to make sure they understand what they're getting into, along with a background check, although anyone working here is probably a good candidate. We just want to make sure no one makes a rash or unwise decision. Anyone who volunteers should do so with the understanding that they'll be bonded to a werewolf shortly after they're turned. It's going to take a week or two to sort through the volunteers, and once we have a few more vampires, we'll give you two or three weeks to get to know each other and decide whom you want to bond with. Multiple bonds are possible, so if the numbers are still uneven, some of the vampires may have to choose more than one werewolf to bond with. Choose well, because you're going to be connected for the rest of your lives." He looked around, trying to gauge the mood of the room. "Are there any questions?" 

One of the werewolves, a young, raggedly looking man with a multitude of piercings stood, his attitude seeming just barely short of insolence. "Yeah, I have a question," he said. He cast a sidelong look at Alastor, who glared but didn't stop him. "What's going to guarantee that the other bloodsuckers don't come after us? You said the one we bond to won't, but what stops the others?"

Remus started to reply, even though he wasn't sure what he was going to say, but before he could answer, Regulus spoke up from behind him. 

"Because being bonded to one werewolf gives you a better understanding and tolerance of the rest," Regulus said as Gaius reached out to clasp his hand, a look of such affection in his eyes that no one could mistake it. "I was once a Death Eater and a weapons specialist, but since becoming bonded to Gaius, I'm not interested in continuing the fight. For one thing, I find it impossible to know, understand, and love one werewolf and hate all the rest. For another, killing a werewolf in anger or hatred would disappoint Gaius, and I don't want to do that." 

"It's difficult to explain the effects of the bond," Remus said, casting a grateful look back at Regulus. "But I guarantee it will change your perspective in ways you never imagined." 

The werewolf subsided with a huff, apparently unable to argue with what Regulus or Remus said.

Severus stood and moved to stand near Remus. "In addition, you all need to realize that we aren't as different as you might think. Both vampires and werewolves are used to following a hierarchical structure, listening to leaders, and following the judgment of elders. I am the eldest vampire, and I will not tolerate any infighting between the species! There are few enough of us, and we no longer have Godric Gryffindor around to clean up the messes we make in the mortal world. With very few exceptions, the immortals you see around you are all that there are, and the mortals outnumber us billions to one. If they were to discover us, they would consider us a threat. We must support and protect each other, as we were genetically meant to do. Otherwise it could lead to the destruction of us all, thus I will not hesitate to discipline any vampire who threatens a werewolf." He glanced back at Regulus, raising a brow. "How does the werewolf Alpha feel about that?"

Regulus raised an eyebrow right back at him. "The werewolf Alpha is in full agreement," he replied. "In-fighting will be punished, and it will be punished equally on both sides, neither favored above the other." 

Remus nodded firmly. "Even though we'll still have leaders and a hierarchy, that doesn't mean one group is going to be put ahead of the other. Vampires and werewolves were meant to be equal partners, and that's what we're going to create here."

"It's true," Gaius added. "I have been with Regulus and Severus since James' death, and they have not treated me differently because I am a werewolf. The bond will help you understand how it _can_ be - how it should have been all along. We share the same blood; we are family. Only the evil of a single man has kept us apart. We can't allow him to continue to win now that he's finally been destroyed."

Severus slid a possessive arm around Remus' shoulders, drawing him close, unselfconscious about the public display. He looked at the group of vampires. "There are definite advantages to the bond, on both sides," he said, a wicked smile curving his lips. "As Remus said, it doesn't have to be sexual unless you choose it, but there is very little more pleasant than waking up warm."

Remus chuckled and leaned against Severus' side, feeling no qualms about the display either. "I'm sure every bonded pair will find benefits of their own, but those of us who are already bonded will be happy to discuss our experiences with you." 

"Within reason," Severus added, giving a chuckle. "If any of you lot really want to know gory details, you have every opportunity to experience it for yourself. But the main thing is that we are going to be building a new society here, and you have a choice. You can be a part of it, with all the rights, protections, and benefits we are offering, or you can choose to leave. Those are the conditions."

Remus couldn't think of anything to add to that, and so he nodded. "Unless anyone else has any questions, the meeting is adjourned. You'll have some time to make your decision, but we ask that if you're going to leave, let us know. We won't stop you, but we'd like to keep track of who's staying and who isn't, and we'll give you the means to survive until you find a new home."

Amid a lot of talking - and some grumbling - the crowd began to disperse, and Remus watched them go, wondering who, if anyone, they would lose. He hoped everyone would decide to stay, but he wasn't so idealistic as to think their plan would meet with universal approval and acceptance. If Sirius wasn't already attached to Regulus, Remus would have pegged him as the first to pack his bags and be out the door. Doubtless there were others like him who couldn't accept the idea of peace, much less being bonded to a vampire for eternity. 

"Well, that's that," he said, turning to his companions. "Now we wait to see how it all plays out." 

"You were fantastic," Gaius said, smiling at Remus with admiration as he rose to his feet. "If they choose to leave, they're idiots. You did a great job of showing the benefits. If I weren't already bonded to Regulus, I'd be anxious to join anyway."

Severus snorted at that. "Only if Regulus were up for grabs, I daresay," he drawled. Tightening his arm around Remus, he looked down at him with pride. "But he's right: you were incredible. I have no doubt we could rebuild from just the four of us if we had to, but others would be a definite plus. So long as they can move on, that is. I have no illusions that we aren't going to be subjected to a lot of griping in the near term."

"No doubt." Remus smiled wryly, sliding his arm around Severus' waist and giving him a squeeze. "I'm sure there are some people who won't be happy. They might even leave. But I think we'll have enough left to make a fresh start, and that's the important thing." He glanced back and forth between the other three questioningly. "Does this call for a celebration, do you think?"

"It does," Severus spoke up immediately. "You especially deserve a reward."

"I feel like celebrating," Gaius said, giving Regulus a rather coy look. "How about you?"

"I think the fact that no one got up and stormed out is cause enough for celebration," Regulus replied as he stood and slid one arm around Gaius' waist. "We probably will lose some people, but I think most will stay. My guess is that none of the vampires will leave. They're too accustomed to luxury." 

"From what I remember seeing of the mansion, I agree," Remus said. "Dinner, then? Gaius is the only one who can drink champagne, but we could still have a toast with a red vintage. Or did the rest of you have more private celebrations in mind?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"I'm up for dinner," Severus said, the gleam in his eyes reminding Remus of their "breakfast" out on the beach. 

"Me, too," Gaius added. "And Champagne sounds wonderful. It's been decades since I've had any."

"Let's go, then," Remus said cheerfully, tucking his arm through Severus'. 

They had a lot of work ahead of them, and he was realistic about the level of cooperation they'd get until the bonds took effect and smoothed out the long-ruffled feathers on both sides, but they had made a good start. After everything they had been through over the past few weeks, they needed a little down-time, and in his opinion, they deserved a night off to celebrate the progress they had made. 

Tonight, they would toast their past successes. Tomorrow, they would begin shaping the future - together.

-End of Book Three-

~*~*~*~*~*~


End file.
